TMA CALLS FOR TANZANIA SCIENTISTS TO PARTICIPATE ON CLIMATE CHANGE RELATED RESEARCH AND IN IPCC PROCESS.

Picture: Guest of Honour Eng. James Ngeleja (  2^nd from left) on behalf of the Chairperson of TMA Ministerial Advisory Board, TMA-Director General Dr. Agnes Kijazi,  (3^rd  from Left) on a group photo with workshop participants on the Workshop on the latest findings of IPCC (IPCC AR5) held on 18^th November 2014, Blue Pearl Hotel.

Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) held a sensitization workshop on the latest Iintergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) findings (IPCC fifth assessment report), on 18^th November 2014, at Blue Pearl hotel, Dar es Salaam. When officiating the opening of the workshop, the guest of Honour Eng. James Ngeleja, who represented the chairman of the Ministerial Advisory Board of Tanzania Meteorological Agency Mr. Morisson Mlaki called for scientists in Tanzania to actively participate on climate change related research and IPCC process. On his speech he noted the low participation of Africa scientists in the IPCC Process, and the low number of scientific research on climate change in peer reviewed journals.  I am aware that we have a large research gaps in many thematic areas including in climate change and marine ecosystem, climate change and Agriculture, climate change and Health, and climate change and livelihoods. More studies need to be conducted focusing on climate change attributions in the respective thematic areas. I therefore pose a challenge to all scientists present here today to come up with recommendations that will ensure enhanced participation of our scientists in the IPCC process, and enhance involvement of Tanzanian scientists in climate change related research. This endeavor will in turn contribute to the next IPCC Assessment cycle (Sixth Assessment Report, AR6)’. Said Mr. Morisson Mlaki in his speech.

Dr. Agnes L. Kijazi, the Director General of Tanzania Meteorological Agency and Permanent Representative of the United Republic of Tanzania with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) welcomed all workshop participants and thanked WMO for supporting the workshop through the GFCS programme. Dr. Kijazi said such workshop is of its kind and the first to be held in Tanzania where scientists and decision makers sat together under the same roof to discuss the findings and the implications of the latest IPCC report (AR5).

           

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading international body for the assessment of climate change. It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts. The workshop was attended by participant  from higher learning institutions  government ministries and NGO’s that included scientists and decision makers from Commission for science and Technology (COSTECH), Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), University of Dodoma (UDOM), Ardhi University (ARU) Vice President Office (Environment), Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ministry of Health, Tanzania RedCross Society, World Food Programme(WFP), Centre for Weather Climate and Research (CWCAR) Climate Consult, National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Environment Protection and Management Services (EPMS), the Prime Minister – Disaster Management Department.

RELEASED BY: MONICA MUTONI; PUBLIC RELATION OFFICER, TANZANIA METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY