Tanzania needs $600m for climate change

News 

Monday, December 16, 2013

BY KENAN KALAGHO
EAST AFRICAN BUSINESS WEEK, KAMPALA, UGANDA

 (Dr Richard Muyungi centre speaking to Journalist in Dar es salaam Photo By Kenan Kalagho)
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA-Tanzania receives only $20 million (Tsh32bln) yearly from the Global Climate Fund (GCF) out of the total budget of $600million (Tsh290 bln) needed to fight against climate change effects.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam last week the Assistant Director of Environment in the vice Presidents Office Dr. Richard Muyungi said a total of $38 billion (Tsh61trilion) was issued to developing countries in 2011 from the GCF out of the total amount of $90 billion (Tsh144 trillion) needed to fight climate change effects.
Dr. Muyungi said such inadequate funds make it hard for the country to effectively fight against the loss and damage that occurs resulting from climate change.
He said the recent agreements during the just concluded Climate Change Conference (COP 19) in Warsaw, Poland stressed for the need of countries to adhere to using technology that would reduce carbon emissions.
“The Warsaw conference agreed of several important issues among others being instituting international mechanism like insurance on people and livestock affected with climate change that would be able to reduce loss damage, Dr Muyungi said.
He appealed to the GCL to ensure that the amount being released to the country is increased in order to ensure that effects that occur resulting from climate change are effectively and efficiently attained.
He however noted that there has been lack of commitment on funds contributions on part of donors due to the lack of ‘a legal binding contracts’ that would make it a mandatory for respective countries to contribute towards Global Fund on Climate change.
“It is not a mandatory for countries to contribute towards climate change and there is no punishment for any country failing to emit such funds, Dr Muyungi said, adding that the amounts contributed towards fighting global effects on climate change again have stern rules”
He said there was need for the respective countries to manage their own Climate Change Funds in order to make it more accountable and meets the needs of the majority population who have been affected by climate change.
“We need these funds to go into projects that will aim at reducing the occurrence of climate change like tree planting and soil conservation instead of channeling these funds into workshops on climate change that benefits few and or dictate for us its use”.
On his part Mr. Adam Anthony from the Youth of United Nations Association said there was need for African countries to involve youth and especially women in the fight against climate change due to their activities that often have serious implications on weather.
Mr. Anthony said more training was needed to youth in order to allow them to have the required skills on how to manage the effects of climate change.