At COP31, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan pressed for fairer carbon markets and more accessible climate finance, putting the yearly cost of climate shocks at 2% to 3% of gross domestic product, Anadolu Agency reported Wednesday.
Anadolu said Hassan cited prolonged droughts, unpredictable rainfall and rising sea levels as pressures on Tanzania. The agency linked the country’s economic exposure to its reliance on natural resources and rain-fed farming.
Hassan called for a transparent carbon-market mechanism under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. She said its rules should ensure fair carbon pricing, equitable benefit sharing and environmental integrity, Anadolu reported. She also said carbon markets should direct more resources to local communities.
Developing countries need grants and concessional loans, particularly for adaptation, Hassan said, along with technology transfers and support to build capacity, according to Anadolu. She called for more investment in Africa’s energy transition and said it should widen access to electricity that is affordable, reliable and sustainable.
Hassan said Tanzania’s National Energy Compact includes efforts to expand electricity access in rural areas. Anadolu reported the country’s targets include 75% electricity connectivity by 2030 and 80% access to clean cooking solutions by 2034.
Anadolu, citing UNESCO, reported that Mount Kilimanjaro’s glaciers have lost 91% of their surface area since they were first mapped in 1912. The United Nations climate conference schedule lists COP31 in Antalya through Nov. 20.
