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Institutional Landscape for REDD+ Investment in Tanzania: Does it Include Private Business?

¹Ardhi University (ARU), Institute of Human Settlement Studies (IHSS), Tanzania
²Ghent University, Dept. of Plant Production - Lab. for Tropical Agronomy, Belgium

Abstract

The paper reviews the institutional landscape for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) investments in Tanzania. It goes on to assess whether there exist framework conditions for inclusion of private business as partners in REDD+ activities, especially with the experience gained from some of the earlier REDD+ pilot projects in the country. The paper is based on the premise that, inclusion of private business in the implementation of REDD+ activities will widen and sustain forest conservation efforts and reduce REDD+ investment dependence from the government and the associated development partners. The assessment shows the existence of well established institutional landscape for REDD+ implementation from the central to the local government levels. Various legal and policy frameworks exist in support of the implementation of REDD+ activities in the country. The institutional structure for REDD+ implementation and reporting in Tanzania includes the National Climate Change Steering Committee (NCCSC), National Climate Change Technical Committee (NCCTC), National Carbon Monitoring Centre (NCMC), and a number of regional and local government authorities. It is, however, noticed that under the existing institutional landscape, inclusion of private business in REDD+ implementation is limited. The available system outlines the inclusion of NGOs while excluding an important stakeholder, the private sector, who is a key component for sustainability of REDD+ in the country. Lack of proper framework for private sector inclusion in REDD+ implementation will increase reliance on government and its development partners and hinder its sustainability. The paper recommends setting up of framework conditions that will encourage private business to invest in REDD+ activities as a way to sustain these conservation initiatives.

Keywords: Conservation initiative, framework conditions, sustainability

Contact Address: Deusdedit Kibassa, Ardhi University (ARU), Institute of Human Settlement Studies (IHSS), University Road, Survey Area, N/A Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, e-mail: dkibassa2000yahoo.com