Evidence of climate change impacts on human settlements, health, enertgy and land sector and benefits of investing in adaptation strategies in Tanzania

Abstract

Rising fossil fuel burning and land use change have emitted and continue to emit increasing quantities of greenhouse gases into the Earth's atmosphere. These greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide and emission of these gases has caused a rise in the amount of heat from the sun withheld in the Earth's atmosphere, heat that would normally be radiated back into space. This increase in heat has led to greenhouse effect resulting in climate change. Climate change is a change in the state of climate that can be identified (i.e.by using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and or the variability of its properties and that persist for an extended period, typically decades or longer. It may be due to natural internal processes or external forcing, or to persistent anthropogenic changes in the composition of the atmosphere or in land use (IPCC, 200I). Climate change has wide-ranging effects on the environment, and socio¬economic and related sectors including water resources, agriculture and food security, human settlement, human health, terrestrial ecosystems, biodiversity, energy, land and coastal zones. In Tanzania, Climate change is manifested in various ways which includes changes in physical conditions, weather patterns, ecosystems and ecosystem functioning. Sea level rise due to climate change is a serious global threat, with rises of I-3m in this century being anticipated (Dasgupta et aI., 2007). Sea level rise is likely to have considerable impact on human settlements through inundation of coastal areas as well as coastal erosion. In some areas such as Dar es Salaam the problem of coastal erosion is already widespread. In Pangani Town, the sea wall that protects the town from ocean currents is gradually being overwhelmed thus threatening the coastal settlements. Climate change has a number of immediate and long-term impacts on the fundamental determinants of human health. A number of potential human health effects have been associated either directly or indirectly with global climate change Vulnerability to the risks associated with Climate change may exacerbate ongoing socio-economic challenges. Climate change-related impacts on the ecosystems are likely to affect population by creating favorable conditions for disease vectors or disease pathogens as well as placing the communities at high risk of malnutrition, diarrhea diseases and other environmental health effects attributable to climate change (Ebi et 01., 2007). There is important evidence to show that climate change affect the occurrence and distribution of human diseases and malnutrition. Changes in the frequency and spread of infectious diseases are some of the most widely documented potential effects of climate change, and could have significant consequences for human health as well as economic and societal impacts (Chan et 01., 1999). The majority of Tanzania's power generation approximately 55% comes from hydropower. Previously, Tanzania's reliance on hydropower was much higher, whereby in 2002, 97% of the country's grid-based electricity came from hydropower but recurrent droughts leading to power rationing have caused huge losses to the economy: 1.1 % slower growth in 2007; a 0.9% drop in 1997; and a decline of 3.8% in industrial growth in 1994 (Stacey, 20 I I). Climate change is anticipated to have far reaching effects on the sustainable development of the developing countries including the ability to attain the United Nations Millennium Development Goals by 2015 (UN,2007).Tanzania, like many other developing countries is vulnerable to climate change impacts because poverty and low adaptive capacity associated with high dependence on climate sensitive livelihood activities. Development and implementation of countries adaptation measures focusing on key sectors has to be treated not only as a matter of high priority but also of urgency. Adaptation will be necessary to address impacts resulting from warming which are already unavoidable due past emissions (IPCC, 2007). This report provide an assessment based on the existing information on the specific evidence of climate change impacts; social, economic and environmental costs of climate change for four economic sectors (Human settlement, Energy, Human health and Land), in Tanzania and associated benefits in implementing adaptation strategies.