TANZANIA has called on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to improve efforts on conservation and sustainable management of marine and coastal biodiversity, insisting that the move is crucial for protecting ecosystems, improving the blue economy, and addressing the impacts of climate change.
Tanzania issued the helpful environmental challenge at the 28th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), convening at the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Presenting Tanzania’s statement during debating of the agenda item on Marine Biodiversity and Coastal Areas (MBCA), Senior Assistant Commissioner for Conservation at the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS), Mr Fandey Mashimba, expressed that Tanzania has a coastline stretching approximately 1,450 kilometres, encompassing the islands of Unguja, Pemba, Mafia and several smaller islands that support vital coastal and marine ecosystems.
Mashimba said these ecosystems, which include mangrove forests, coral reefs, seagrass beds, rivers flowing into the sea, beaches and coastal forests, make a meaningful contribution to conserving biodiversity, strengthening the fisheries and tourism sectors, storing carbon and protecting coastal communities from the impacts of climate change.
During the forum, Tanzania also supported strengthening scientific integrity and transparency in the identification of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs), while insisting the need to heighten rolling out of financial resources, build technical capacity, facilitate technology transfer and improving scientific research on oceans.
Moreover, the country encouraged the use of Marine Spatial Planning, ecosystem-based management approaches, and the advancement of regional cooperation as per international law with an eye to ensure the sustainable use of marine resources.
Tanzania’s participation in the meeting focuses to help strengthening its contribution to international discussions on biodiversity conservation and the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, together with national efforts to promote the blue economy and conserve ecosystems for the benefit of present and future generations.
The Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty with three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its parts, and the fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
Opened for signature on June 5, 1992, at the Rio Earth Summit, it entered into force on December 29, 1993, and has 196 parties.