Executive Summary

In Tanzania, the Mikoko Ujamaa mangrove project, led by Women Against Poverty, is registered in the voluntary carbon market. Ten other nature-based carbon projects also operate under Verra and Plan Vivo standards. The government mandates specific legal requirements for these projects, including a multi-step authorization process and ongoing reporting obligations. Projects must register in a national carbon registry, involve local communities, and adhere to national policies to ensure transparency and social safeguards. Regarding financial distribution, the managing authority receives 61% of the gross revenues from the sale of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs). The government allocates this revenue to conservation activities, community development, and other initiatives. The
remaining 39% is distributed as follows: 8% goes to the Designated National Authority (DNA) or National Focal Point, while the rest is allocated based on negotiated agreements, especially for projects with high initial costs. Non-REDD+ projects offer more flexible profit sharing options, but the 8% payment to authorities is mandatory. Blue carbon projects should work closely with government agencies to negotiate benefit-sharing agreements that ensure financial viability. They must also obtain informed consent from local communities in line with the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) guidelines and implement Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) processes to ensure proper oversight.
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All mangrove forests in Tanzania are state-owned. Local communities can hold customary land rights for forest management under the Village Land Act (1999), the Land Act (1999), and the Forest Act (2002). These laws allow village councils or community groups to manage forests. While private ownership of mangroves is prohibited, the government has specific regulations for granting concessions for small and large forest areas. Community-based management models, such as Joint Forest Management (JFM) and Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) under the Forest Act (2002), enable communities to jointly manage forest reserves or retain 100% of the revenue from forest products. Carbon rights are linked to forest ownership and can be obtained through management agreements like Joint Forest Management (JFM) under the Forest Act (2002). However, the regulations do not clearly define when carbon rights can be revoked or how they are obtained under different management agreements, which needs further clarification for effective governance.

Overall, Tanzania has ambiguous enabling conditions for blue carbon projects. It has clear land tenure regulations and specific laws regarding carbon trading projects, demonstrating its commitment to facilitating participation in the voluntary carbon market. It is recommended that the government clarify the conditions under which carbon rights can be revoked and establish a straightforward process for obtaining carbon rights under different forest management agreements.

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