By Business Insider Correspondent
Tanzania is poised to deepen its international partnerships in tackling climate change and advancing green economic opportunities after the United Kingdom signalled its readiness to support the country’s environmental and climate agenda.
The commitment emerged during talks in Dar es Salaam between Richard Muyungi, Permanent Secretary in the Vice President’s Office responsible for Union and Environment, and Euan Davidson, Head of Sustainable Environment Programme at the British High Commission in Tanzania.
According to officials, the discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in areas such as the blue economy, carbon trading, clean cooking technologies and the implementation of Tanzania’s national climate commitments.
Mr. Muyungi said the government is keen to work closely with development partners to accelerate the country’s environmental and climate priorities, noting that collaboration with partners such as the United Kingdom is critical to mobilising expertise, financing and technology.
“The government will continue to collaborate with development partners to ensure that environmental and climate change priorities receive the necessary momentum both nationally and internationally,” he said.
Strategic climate agenda
The engagement comes as Tanzania intensifies efforts to align its environmental policies with the ambitions of the Tanzania Development Vision 2050 (Dira 2050), which identifies environmental sustainability and climate resilience as one of its central pillars.
Under the vision, Tanzania aims to transform into an upper-middle-income economy by 2050 while safeguarding natural resources and strengthening resilience against climate shocks.
Authorities say achieving these goals requires strong international cooperation, particularly in areas such as climate finance, technological innovation and sustainable resource management.
Carbon markets and green investment
One of the key areas of potential collaboration is the development of carbon markets. Tanzania has recently stepped up its regulatory and institutional framework for carbon trading, including the establishment of the National Carbon Monitoring Centre (NCMC), which coordinates carbon-related projects and oversees monitoring systems.
The government believes carbon markets could unlock new revenue streams while supporting conservation, forest management and renewable energy investments.
“Tanzania already has regulations and guidelines governing carbon trading, and the NCMC has started operations with a board of directors and a technical committee responsible for evaluating carbon projects,” Muyungi said.
Experts say partnerships with countries such as the UK could help improve transparency, standards and investment flows into the emerging carbon market sector.
Clean energy transition
Another priority area discussed was the transition to clean cooking energy, a major environmental and public health issue across Africa.
Tanzania has launched an ambitious national campaign to expand access to clean cooking technologies, championed globally by President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
The initiative aims to reduce reliance on charcoal and firewood, which remain the dominant cooking fuels for millions of households and contribute to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
UK signals support
For its part, Davidson said the United Kingdom is ready to strengthen collaboration with Tanzania in advancing climate and environmental initiatives.
“We are prepared to work with the Vice President’s Office in areas such as the blue economy, carbon markets, clean cooking technologies and the implementation of Tanzania’s climate commitments,” he said.
The United Kingdom has been an active development partner in Tanzania’s environmental sector, supporting projects ranging from conservation and climate resilience to renewable energy and sustainable livelihoods.
Analysts say the renewed engagement could open doors for increased technical cooperation and climate financing, particularly as Tanzania positions itself as a regional hub for carbon markets and green investment. With climate risks intensifying across East Africa, deeper partnerships with global actors are expected to play a crucial role in helping the country balance economic growth with environmental sustainability.
