Tanzania has launched an environmental conservation master plan as part of celebrations marking the World Environment Day.
The master plan was launched by Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa in the capital, Dodoma, and he directed the Ministry of Finance and Planning to allocate budget for its implementation in the next 10 years.
He urged government ministries and institutions, the private sector and individuals to fully participate in the implementation of the plan that he said focused on protection and conservation in 15 areas, including massive tree planting, controlling of invasive plants in protected areas, mobilization on the use of alternative energy to lessen dependence on firewood and charcoal, and controlling outbreaks of wildfires.
Other areas are protection of water sources, protection of animal corridors from encroachment by human activities, controlling of human-wildlife conflicts, and creation of a comprehensive waste management, Majaliwa said.
Zlatan Milisic, the United Nations resident coordinator in Tanzania, commended the east African nation for efforts to conserve the environment in the face of climate change.
“Tanzania has proved to be a trustworthy partner toward the conservation of the environment,” he said.
World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5, is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of the environment.
First held in 1973, it has been a platform for raising awareness on environmental issues such as marine pollution, overpopulation, global warming, sustainable consumption and wildlife crime.