Tanzanian scientist advocates integrated approach to climate change impact

IPPMedia.com (Tanzania): A University of Dar es Salaam don, Prof. Pius Yanda, has suggested the adoption of an integrated approach to scale down the looming impact of climate change in the country. Prof. Yanda, who was a co-recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize last year and was one of the authors of the Inter-Government Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) report, cautioned that climate change came with numerous challenges that could not be dealt with in isolation.

Presenting a paper at a public lecture on climate change and human development in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, Prof. Yanda explained that available research on climate change showed that Tanzania`s natural ecosystems would be at risk in the near future. He said the predicted future of climate change would have social and economic impact in various parts of the country.

Prof Yanda, who had participated in the project entitled `Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability,` with specific focus on Africa, said developing countries like Tanzania would be highly affected. He explained that climate change could result in low-lying lands being inundated, with adverse impacts on coastal settlements, and that South West Tanzania highlands and maize producing areas would also be affected.

“These areas will experience a decline in maize production and other cereals,” he said. According to him, rain in semi-arid parts of Tanzania would be limited, putting the agricultural sector as well as herding in jeopardy. “Some wildlife species which are highly sensitive to temperature changes and water availability will also be affected, while wildlife migration patterns might be disrupted,`` he said.

Wetlands, highlands, coastal and coral reefs would be among natural ecosystems at risk, the prof added. He observed that social and economic infrastructures in lowland cities like Dar es Salaam would be mostly hit by heavy rainfall, stronger storms and sea waves, among others….

Lake Duluti near Tengeru, in Tanzania's Arusha District. Photo by Fanny Schertzer, Wikimedia Commons, under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license versions 3.0