DODOMA: THE government has promised to issue a special report on the effects brought about by climate change on environment during the commemoration of World Environment Day, which is marked on June 5, 2024.
The Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office (Union and Environment) Dr Selemani Jaffo issued the promise when responding to question by Zahor Mohammed Haji (CCM-Mwera).
In his basic question, the MP sought a response from the government on its strategies meant to educate and sensitise the public on the effects of climate change on the environment, since the geographical phenomenon seriously affects people’s lives.
In his response Dr Jafo said the government has been implementing various programmes focusing on educating and sensitising the public on the effects of climate change.
He said in disseminating and sensitising the public on the matter, the government has been using media and public rallies.
According to Dr Jafo, during the commemoration of World Environment Day, apart from issuing the report, the government will also reveal its strategies that focus on mitigating the effects of climate change.
The minister said the education offered targets to increase awareness of various groups such as farmers, and pastoral and fishing communities on how best to carry out their activities, including how to protect themselves against the effects of climate change.
Speaking on environmental conservation efforts, the minister said the government came up with an initiative to use the Uhuru Torch race as a platform for educating and sensitising the public on the importance of conserving the environment and the effects of climate change.
Some MPs, who asked supplementary questions, called for intensifying efforts targeting to educate and sensitise the public on issues related to climate change and its effects.
Legislators from areas ravaged by floods caused by El Nino rains such as Kibiti, Rufiji, and Ifakara registered their concerns about the scale of devastation climate change brought on their people.
Apart from drought and floods, Dr Jafo said last weekend that the Indian Ocean’s level was rising, a geographical phenomenon caused by several factors including global warming.
The minister admitted the problem when responding to the question posed by Moshi Rural MP, Prof Patrick Ndakidemi.
Dr Jafo said, according to measurement and research carried out on the coast of the Indian Ocean in Tanzania’s territory, the sea level has increased by an average of six millimetres in the past 22 years.
He said effects brought about by rising sea levels include loss of beaches, soil erosion along the coast, destruction of transport infrastructure such as ports, roads, buildings and markets, and loss of biodiversity such as mangroves and marine vegetation.
Other effects include loss of arable land and human settlements, floods and loss of freshwater wells due to contamination with salty water from the sea.
Experts say the global mean sea level has risen about 8–9 inches (21–24 centimeters) since 1880.
The rising water level is mostly due to a combination of meltwater from glaciers and ice sheets and the thermal expansion of seawater as it warms.
They further say in 2022, the global mean sea level was 101.2 millimeters (4 inches) above 1993 levels, making it the highest annual average in the satellite record (1993-present).
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