Norwegian Climate Change Director to learn from Tanzania

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, October 18, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Ambassador Hans Brattskar, Director of Norway's Climate and Forest Initiative, visits Tanzania 19-21 October to learn about progress in stopping climate change through Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD). Norway provides USD 80 million to this partnership, which makes Tanzania a frontrunner in the fight against deforestation in Africa.

The core of the Norway-Tanzania partnership on Climate and Forest is to provide financial and technical support to help Tanzania prepare for a future global mechanism for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD).

Ambassador Hans Brattskar and his team from Oslo will meet with government representatives from the Vice Presidents office and Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. They will also meet with the UN REDD representatives and the secretariat to the National REDD task force. Finally they will visit a REDD pilot programme in Shinyanga managed by Tanzania Traditional Energy Development and environment Organisation (TaTEDO), and meet with local authorities, villagers as well as with ICRAF, the World Agroforestry Centre that is also active in REDD programmes in this region.

Tanzania has progressed very well in developing readiness for a future global REDD mechanism. A draft national REDD strategy has been prepared and a national dialogue is ongoing on how to effectively get involved in REDD. A number of NGOs and research institutions are actively participating in REDD and climate change programmes. Preparations are being made for increasing the capacity for monitoring and reporting on carbon and deforestation. A REDD secretariat is assisting the national task force in preparing and coordinating programmes on REDD.

The total funding for the partnership between Tanzania and Norway is NOK 500 million (approx USD 80 million) for five years. Through this programme Tanzania is becoming a frontrunner for REDD in Africa.