Joseph Isangura
Tanzania has pledged to place environmental protection and climate resilience at the center of its long-term economic transformation strategy, as the government warned that rising waste generation and climate pressures could threaten future development if urgent action is not taken.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam ahead of World Environment Day commemorations, Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office for Union and Environment, Engineer Hamad Masauni, said the country’s National Development Vision 2050 and the Long-Term Development Plan (2025–2050) identify environmental sustainability as one of the central pillars of national progress.
The strategy, he said, is intended to position Tanzania among the world’s leading environmental conservation nations by 2050 while ensuring that economic growth is balanced with ecological protection and climate adaptation.
“Tanzania’s future development depends on how effectively we protect our environment while sustaining economic growth,” Masauni said during the briefing. “Environmental conservation is no longer a separate agenda. It is now directly linked to national development, public health, food security and economic resilience.”
The minister warned that the country faces mounting environmental challenges driven by rapid urbanization, population growth and changing consumption patterns. According to government projections, solid waste generation in Tanzania could rise dramatically from the current 12.1 million to 17.4 million metric tons annually and potentially reach between 30 million and 60 million tons by 2050 if immediate intervention measures are not implemented.
The warning reflects broader concerns across Africa, where expanding cities and industrial growth are increasing pressure on waste management systems, water resources and ecosystems already vulnerable to climate change.
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Despite the challenges, Masauni said Tanzania had recorded encouraging progress in several environmental initiatives over recent years. He noted that approximately 76 percent of trees planted during the 2025/26 national tree-planting campaign had successfully survived, a figure officials describe as a major improvement in reforestation efforts.
The government has also accelerated its clean energy transition campaign, particularly in the use of cleaner cooking energy technologies aimed at reducing dependence on charcoal and firewood, two major contributors to deforestation across East Africa.
According to official figures released during the event, the use of clean cooking energy in Tanzania increased from 6.9 percent in 2021 to 28.6 percent in 2025, marking one of the fastest transitions in the region.
Masauni urged citizens, private companies and local authorities to participate more actively in tree planting programs, proper waste management and the adoption of clean energy solutions, saying environmental protection could not be left solely to government institutions.
The government also unveiled a nationwide schedule of activities leading up to World Environment Day on June 5, 2026. Planned events include public awareness campaigns, environmental clean-up exercises, nationwide tree planting initiatives, a youth environmental forum at the University of Dar es Salaam and a technology exhibition in Dodoma focusing on green innovation and climate solutions.
The main national celebrations are expected to take place in Dodoma, where President Samia Suluhu Hassan is scheduled to officiate as guest of honor.
