ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Overview

Energy production and use in all sectors is associated with a number of negative environmental effects which their causes are inefficient production, utilization and poor management practices. These effects include, among others environmental problems in form of de

struction of land through deforestation, desertification, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, loss of land productivity, indoor air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. 

 Inefficient and unsustainable management practices dominate production and use of biomass energy in the country. Inefficient traditional wood-fuel technologies are causing wastage of forest resources, high expenditure on household energy budget and wastage of time and health problems, thereby accelerating poverty.  Whilst the common method used for carbonizing charcoal is traditional earthmound kilns, three-stone fire place and simple metal stove dominates household cooking stove. These practices emit large amounts of pollutants in the indoor environment. The pollutants are estimated to have been responsible for 2.7 percent of the global burden of diseases.

Kerosene which account to 13% of the household energy use in the country is another important source of indoor air pollution. When used for lighting in inefficient wicked lamps and other traditional appliances produces a lot of smoke with large quantities of both carbon and sulphur dioxide thereby adding the problem. It should however be noted that other energy sources such as electricity and LPG can cause the same effects if poorly managed. For instance, use of dirty electric/LPG cookers may as well cause indoor air pollution.

Apart from use of inefficient technologies, indoor air pollution effects are magnified by poorly ventilated kitchens in both rural and urban areas of Tanzania raising another concern to health of women and children who cook daily and sometimes use kitchens as bedrooms.

TaTEDO Community Intervention

In view of the above description, TaTEDO has established Energy Environment Initiatives (EEI) to compliment national efforts on poverty reduction and environment conservation as stipulated in the national forest, energy, environment and other related policies and strategies. These initiatives are managed by EEEI department. The main focus of the EEI department is embedded on developing and implementing strategies and programmes that aims at avoiding and/or mitigating associated energy production and use effects.  Specifically, EEI department is campaigning on mitigating negative effects associated with production and use of  energy the activities include , advocating for adoption energy technologies that reduces indoor air pollution,  tree planting and proper management practices of forest resources, dissemination of knowledge on sustainable methods of charcoal production, sustaining supply of bio-fuels (e.g. farming of Jatropha curcas,),  campaigning on Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).The specific CDM activities are  mitigation and adaptation projects, campaigning on sensitive and responsive engendered energy policies, strategies programmes and projects. 

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Projects

The convention and the Kyoto Protocol provide opportunities for sustainable development through access to cleaner technologies and additional investment opportunities such as the clean Development Mechanism. TaTEDO through small programme REEEP and SSN have managed to build staff capacity in developing fundable CDM proposals in the field of energy and environment. So far, four project identification notes (PINs) on improved woodfuel stoves, micro-hydro, bio-diesel for transportation and biogas have been prepared. Of which, implementation of project on improved woodfuel stoves has started under voluntary carbon market and will receive carbon credit for 10 years period starting from 2008 to 2017. Project Development Document (PDD) for bio-diesel for transportation and micro-hydro are under preparation and different financing efforts have been undertaken.

Sustainable Charcoal Production Using Improved Kilns

Improved charcoal production and tree growing profoundly reduce the rate of deforestation. Field experiences have also shown that dissemination of knowledge on proper tree harvesting techniques, use of efficient charcoal production kiln and tree planting to charcoal producers has minimized destruction of forest resources.  Knowing that, the package offered for training involves forest extension officers, charcoal producers and charcoal dealers. The key issues around such training include proper harvesting techniques, planting and management of trees on harvested areas, improved charcoal production techniques and formation of charcoal producers associations so as to be able to negotiate better prices.

More than 400 charcoal producers have been trained in twelve villages from different charcoal catchment regions of Tanzania. Also extension officers have been trained for the purpose of providing continuous technical assistance to charcoal producers. Two types of kiln are promoted i.e. Improved Basic Earth mound Kiln (IBEK) for small producers and Half Orange Kiln (HOK) for saw mill industries.

In-door Air Pollution

Energy poverty makes about half of the world's population use solid fuels, including woodfuels, cow dung and coal for cooking and heating their homes. Smoke from burning these fuels turns kitchens into death traps. In poor people's homes throughout the developing world, levels of exposure to dangerous pollutants are often 100 times higher than recommended limits. Indoor smoke from burning solid fuels kills over 1.6 million men, women and children each year. That is a life lost every 20 seconds - a death toll greater than that caused by malaria.

TaTEDO through its initiatives of disseminating sustainable modern energy technologies and services has been contributing to the efforts of reducing indoor air pollution by installing improved woodfuel stoves with chimneys,  encouraging and assisting her target groups and beneficiaries to access and use clean energy technologies such as solar PV systems for lighting, electricity from Jatropha oil, micro-hydro etc.