This program seeks to strengthen national and community resilience, mitigation and adaption measures to climate change, promoting green economic revolution , access to sustainable energy and nature governance

Climate Change , Sustainable Energy and Nature Governance Program

Climate change presents an urgent global challenge, with the most severe impacts disproportionately affecting less developed countries such as Tanzania and Africa generally. With global emissions at their highest in history and poor countries like Tanzania facing the most severe impacts. rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, irregular rainfall, floods, desertification, and biodiversity loss are already undermining livelihoods, health, and development gains.

Despite international commitments under the Paris Agreement and subsequent UN Climate Conferences (CoP27 and CoP28), developing countries face significant barriers in accessing technology, finance, and expertise to transition to clean energy. Global climate governance and financing architecture has left low-income countries under-resourced and underrepresented, creating complex challenges for equitable and just energy transitions.

The impact of climate change is happening faster than earlier predicted and its effects on poor and vulnerable communities’ dependent earthly resources such as agriculture and water are immense. Women, girls and indigenous communities in poor countries are largely affected. Government policy positions and actions are diverse but widely unknown to citizens. National climate adaptation plans are underfunded. Countries and communities are vulnerable.  Concerns that the current global climate change discussions are biased and unfair to less developed countries such as Tanzania and Africa at large exist. 

Although Tanzania contributes little to global emissions, it is highly vulnerable. The level of desertification and loss of forest cover on sensitive biodiversity supporting  ecosystems and habitats to unique plants and animals is high. The country needs urgent adaptation and investment in clean, sustainable energy to meet industrial and population demands. While Tanzania has vast potential in solar, wind, and other renewables, financing and technology support remain limited. At the same time, global climate negotiations often place unfair burdens on less developed countries, expecting them to transition at the same pace as major polluters without adequate support. Government’s efforts to address climate change mitigation and meet  global targets through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) plan faces significant financing gaps. Tanzania requires about USD19.2billion to finance its NDC plans. Cumulatively Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya require about USD109.3bln to finance their NDCs.

Moreover climate change discussions are disconnected from local contexts and  often run contrary to poor people and country’s energy needs. Government efforts, policy direction and position on these issues is not yet widely known to citizens.  Citizens engagement, national and global advocacy for action and accountability is improved climate change and future energy needs.

In Eastern Africa and Africa generally, policy frameworks and regulatory mechanisms for sustainable energy remain underdeveloped, poorly communicated, and inadequately enforced. This has created critical gaps in governance, technical capacity, and financing, limiting the country’s ability to expand clean energy access, reduce emissions, and achieve its climate commitments. Improved governance, Strengthening national capacity, promoting citizen engagement, and enhancing advocacy for policy reform and action are therefore essential to support a just and inclusive energy transition.

GEPC work under this program addresses;

  • Climate Change and Just Transitions
  • Clean and Renewable Energy Policy and Transition
  • Climate Change and Green Economy Taxation and Financing

Our Activities include:

  1. Short Study researches and technical policy outputs
  2. Public dialogues, webinars and colloquiums
  3. Trainings on Sustainable Energy Policy, Regulation and Financing

Our program strengthens national and regional responses to climate change and the global energy transition through research, advocacy, training, and capacity building. We provide knowledge and skills to citizens, policymakers, and communities to engage effectively in climate governance and adopt clean energy solutions.

Sustainable Energy Policy Regulation and Financing Course

Every year under this program we offer a flagship 8-13 Weeks Course on Sustainable Energy Policy, Regulation and Financing

Sustainable energy is central to meeting these challenges. Defined as clean, reliable, affordable, and equitable, sustainable energy supports national development needs while minimizing environmental harm and fostering long-term economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Integrated sustainable energy systems combine renewable sources—such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass—with modern technologies, smart grids, and storage solutions to deliver energy efficiently, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and expand access to underserved communities.

Continentally, Africa continues to face significant energy access deficits, with approximately 600 million people lacking reliable electricity and 970 million without access to clean cooking solutions. Only about 25% of electricity in the region comes from renewable sources, despite Africa possessing around 60% of the world’s best solar potential. These gaps highlight the urgent need for effective policy, regulation, and financing strategies to mobilize investment, accelerate energy transition, and achieve energy equity.

However, in Eastern Africa and Africa generally, policy and regulatory mismatch, limited knowledge and expertise hinder the ability of governments, civil society, and private actors to navigate evolving global energy policies and regulatory frameworks. Accessing climate finance and developing bankable green economy projects remains challenging. Consequently, strengthening skills, policy understanding, regulatory capacity, and financing literacy is critical to accelerate the transition to sustainable clean energy and scale up investment in the green economy, providing jobs and sustainable development.

This course is designed to equip public policymakers, civil society actors, private sector stakeholders, and financial institutions with the knowledge, skills, and tools to shape and implement sustainable energy policies, advance regulatory reforms, and unlock financing for a just and equitable green economy. A diverse faculty of experts drawn from GEPC technical ecosystem, global partners and experts, combining practical experience, policy insights, and technical expertise, facilitates it. Interested participants join by sending applications to: Taining@gepc.or.tz.

 Nature and Marine Governance program

This program works to strengthen governance, community economic resilience and reduction of nature crimes. The high demand for Africa’s natural resources, weak and conflicting governance regimes and corruption are big enablers of Nature Crimes. East Africa and Tanzania is vulnerable and a conduit for nature crimes. Economic pressures, community beliefs and limited awareness are local drivers.

Nature is at risk. Globally, nature crimes—defined as illegal acts that damage the environment, including wildlife trafficking, illegal logging, mining, and fishing—are a massive, rapidly growing global issue, and now ranked as the third-largest criminal sector worldwide. Nature crimes affect biodiversity and healthy ecosystems critical for the survival of humankind worldwide and estimated to generate between USD 91 billion and USD 280 billion in illegal revenue annually. These illegal activities are increasingly driven by transnational organized crime groups, which utilize these profits to bankroll other serious offenses.

East Africa is vulnerable to nature crimes (OC Index 2025). Illegal, un regulated and un reported logging, mining, wildlife trafficking and fishing is rampant. Illegally acquired nature products are transacted across East Africa and shipped via air and seaports to foreign markets worldwide.

Illicit Wildlife Trade

Tanzania’s vulnerability and role as a conduit for illicit wildlife trafficking has been documented in multiple reports (Countering Illicit Wildlife Trade Through Tanzania’s Seaports, Workshop Proceedings-October 2019) and its role as a global wildlife biodiversity hotspot is undermined by sharp declines in iconic species.

Illegal Fishing

Harmful fishing practices in Tanzania’s marine ecosystems affects local communities while Illegal fishing by large trawlers along Tanzania’s Swahili coastline displaces billions of US dollars in lost national revenue to Tanzania. Generally, Tanzania scores poorly on the IUU fishing index with a vulnerability ranking of 2.33 (IUU Fishing Risk Index 2025). Tanzania’s fish stocks on Tanzania’s waterbodies has reduced significantly and caused some factories to close (GEPC, 2025)

Our projects in Tanzania focus on:

  1. Wild Life Governance: Promotion of sustainable wildlife governance, community economic resilience and disruption of illicit wildlife trade in Tanzania (IWT).
  2. Marine Governance: Promotion of sustainable marine and blue economy, community economic resilience initiatives and disruption of harmful and illicit fishing practices.

 Our Activities

  1. Evidence Based Research and advocacy
  2. High Level Stakeholders and Academia interactive dialogues
  3. Support sustainable Wildlife, Marine, Tourism and Community Economic Resilience initiatives
  4. Promote Seaweed Farming a sustainable economic activity along Tanzania Swahili Coastline

By combining research, advocacy, and hands-on skills development, we help ensure Tanzania and the region are better prepared to meet climate challenges while unlocking opportunities in the green economy.

Fundraising, Resource Mobilization and Partnerships:

GEPC aspires to be a well-resourced and sustainable impactful organization.  We are actively looking for partners to support, sponsor or partner with us in delivering the projects under this program.  

  

For more about this program contact us via:  Governance and Economic Policy Centre. PO Box 32953, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Tel: +255 754 844410/ +254 717 872034, Email: info@gepc.or.tz or moses@gepc.or.tz Website: www.gepc.or.tz