The National Environment Management Council (NEMC) has stressed that a clean and healthy environment is essential to unlocking the full potential of Tanzania’s blue economy.
Speaking during the Fifth International Blue Economy Conference, NEMC said sustainable economic activities in oceans, lakes, rivers and coastal areas must go hand in hand with environmental conservation and responsible management of natural resources.
The council said the blue economy provides important opportunities for employment, food security, income generation and investment, but warned that these benefits could be undermined if marine and coastal ecosystems are poorly managed.
“There can be no sustainable blue economy without a clean and safe environment,” NEMC said, stressing that healthy ecosystems are the foundation for sustaining natural resources for both current and future generations.
Under the conference theme, “Powering Blue Initiatives for Sustainable Economic Growth in Africa,” NEMC highlighted its role in ensuring that investments and development activities comply with environmental standards.
The council said it carries out Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), inspections, compliance monitoring and pollution control as part of efforts to balance economic development with environmental protection.
NEMC also identified marine pollution, plastic waste and the degradation of coastal ecosystems among the key threats that could undermine the sustainability of the blue economy.
The Fifth International Blue Economy Conference was officially opened on Tuesday by Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Union Affairs and Environment), Eng. Hamad Yusuf Masauni, on behalf of Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi.
NEMC maintained that environmental conservation should not be viewed as an obstacle to economic development, but as a foundation for long-term and inclusive growth.
The council said protecting marine and coastal ecosystems would help ensure that economic opportunities generated by the blue economy remain available to future generations.