By Business Insider Correspondent
Tanzania and Norway have agreed to deepen cooperation in carbon trading, underscoring a shared commitment to climate action, environmental protection and sustainable development, as global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions increasingly turn to market-based solutions.
The discussions took place in Dar es Salaam on January 23, 2026, during a meeting between the Permanent Secretary in the Vice President’s Office (Environment), Dr. Richard Muyungi, and the Norwegian Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms. Tone Tinnes.
The talks focused on strengthening bilateral collaboration in carbon markets and positioning Tanzania as a regional leader in carbon trading.
Longstanding partnership, new climate focus
Dr. Muyungi noted that Tanzania and Norway enjoy a long history of cooperation across several development sectors, including environment, energy, governance and natural resource management. He said the partnership is now evolving to place stronger emphasis on carbon trading as an innovative tool for addressing climate change while supporting local development.
“Tanzania has made significant and steady progress in carbon trading, and we are committed to strengthening this area further through strategic partnerships,” Dr. Muyungi said.
He highlighted Tanzania’s growing institutional capacity, pointing out that the country is the first in East Africa to establish a dedicated Carbon Trading Centre, located in Morogoro Region.
The centre serves as a national hub for coordination, research, project development and regulation of carbon market activities.
Building institutional capacity
Dr. Muyungi explained that the government has continued to upgrade the Carbon Trading Centre to ensure it meets international standards and supports credible, transparent and environmentally sound carbon projects.
“As part of this effort, just two days ago we formally completed the handover of the Centre from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) to the Vice President’s Office,” he said, describing the move as a key step towards strengthening oversight, policy coherence and implementation.
The transfer reflects Tanzania’s intention to place carbon trading firmly within the national climate governance framework, ensuring that projects align with national development priorities, environmental safeguards and community interests.
Norway’s experience in carbon markets
Ambassador Tinnes welcomed Tanzania’s progress and thanked the government for the strong cooperation extended to Norway over the years. She encouraged Tanzania to continue expanding international partnerships to effectively address climate change, noting that carbon markets require cross-border collaboration and robust governance systems.
“Climate change is a global challenge that demands collective action,” she said. “Norway values Tanzania as a reliable partner and believes that strengthened cooperation in carbon trading can deliver both environmental and socio-economic benefits.”
Norway is widely regarded as a global leader in climate finance and carbon market mechanisms, having supported emission reduction initiatives through bilateral agreements, forest conservation programmes and results-based climate finance, particularly in developing countries.
Carbon trading and Tanzania’s climate agenda
Carbon trading has become an increasingly important component of Tanzania’s climate strategy, offering opportunities to attract climate finance, promote forest conservation, support renewable energy and improve livelihoods in rural communities.
With vast forest resources, rangelands and agricultural landscapes, Tanzania is seen as having strong potential to generate high-quality carbon credits, provided projects are well-regulated and deliver genuine emission reductions.
Government officials say strengthening partnerships with experienced countries such as Norway will help Tanzania build technical capacity, improve monitoring and verification systems, and enhance credibility in international carbon markets.
Wider environmental cooperation
On the same day, Dr. Muyungi also held separate meetings with Ms. Ilsun Jung, Country Director of Good Neighbors Tanzania, and Ms Tipo Nyabenyi, the Resident Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Dr Muyungi said cooperation between Tanzania and the Republic of Korea, through organisations such as Good Neighbors, is expected to yield significant benefits by leveraging Korea’s experience and technologies in addressing environmental challenges.
“The partnership will contribute to environmental conservation and sustainable management of natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations,” he said.
FAO’s continued support
For her part, Ms Nyabenyi reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to supporting the Government of Tanzania in environmental conservation, sustainable natural resource management and climate change adaptation.
She said FAO would continue working with the Government to promote food security through environmentally sound and climate-resilient agricultural practices that protect ecosystems while sustaining livelihoods.
Positioning Tanzania as a regional leader
As carbon markets gain renewed global attention, Tanzania is positioning itself as a credible and proactive player in the region. Officials say strengthened international partnerships, institutional reforms and clear regulatory frameworks will be critical in ensuring that carbon trading contributes meaningfully to climate action, economic development and community welfare. The discussions with Norway and other development partners signal Tanzania’s determination to harness climate finance not only to reduce emissions, but also to support inclusive and sustainable growth in the face of accelerating climate risks.
