QUESTION: At the Durban Climate Change Conference last year there was no consensus on the modality of channeling funds for climate change programmes. What is your position?

ANSWER: I think funds should be channeled through the government, because many developing countries have low level of public awareness on carbon trading. The concept is complicated. And villagers, who are the target group for funds on forest conservation, for example, have low negotiations capacity.

There must be government control of natural resources. We normally discourage investors to go directly to villagers. To start with, let us allow carbon funds to flow through government channels until when the capacity is built at local level. The government has responsibility of educating the citizens on the importance of carbon credits in tackling climate change problems.

To what extent have Tanzanians benefited from Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) funds?

We are still at the initial stage of the project. Our focus is still on training institutions on how to implement REDD projects. Our task here at Institute of Resource Assessment is to prepare the National REDD Strategy and Action Plan.

When will preparation for the National REDD Strategy and Action Plan be complete?
The Strategy and the Action Plan must be finalized by the end of this year. It must be noted that initially the government had formed a task force comprising members from the Vice President’s Office, ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and the Zanzibar government.

However, later on the government widened membership to include the ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Co-operatives, ministry of Energy and Minerals, ministry of Finance, Local Governments and ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children.

There are concerns that funds for the implementation of REDD projects are more on meetings and seminars instead of financing villagers who are the first victims of deforestation and land degradation.
I cannot answer this because I am not the right person. Please, go to proper government authorities, in the directorate of Environment.

What is the way forward for REDD implementation?
We are still waiting for internationally agreed mechanism for REDD implementation to be in place. Currently there is none. We only have voluntary initiatives by some developed countries. REDD financing is now being implemented on voluntary basis.

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