Climate Mobility in Tanzania: Why It Must Become a Central Climate Justice Conversation
“... one issue that rarely receives the same level of attention particularly from young people is climate mobility.”
– Rahma Kiriwe, YOUNGO Migration Co-Contact Point
Every day, families leave their homes in search of food, water, safer shelter, and sustainable livelihoods. Others remain trapped in increasingly vulnerable areas because they simply lack the resources to move. These are not isolated stories; they are becoming a defining reality for many communities across Tanzania.
This has made me reflect more deeply on what we are overlooking: Do we truly understand what climate mobility look like in our communities? Do we appreciate the human cost behind the statistics? Climate mobility is one of the most overlooked dimensions of climate action in Tanzania and across many international climate discussions. I have participated in numerous conversations on climate adaptation, climate finance, mitigation, loss and damage, and the just transition over the years. These are all essential pillars of climate action, yet, climate mobility is less vivid in the picture.
Climate mobility is more than migration. It is about people adapting to a changing climate while trying to preserve their dignity, livelihoods, and hope for the future. Across Tanzania, prolonged droughts, recurrent floods, coastal erosion, changing rainfall patterns, and declining agricultural productivity are reshaping where and how people live. Farmers experience repeated crop failures, pastoralists travel longer distances in search of water and grazing land, and many young people migrate to urban centres after climate shocks reduce opportunities in rural areas.
“The essence of climate justice is that it creates more choices for everyone.”
This scale to this challenge is significant. According to the World Bank’s Groundswell Report Africa (2021) predicts that as many as 16.6 million people in Tanzania may become internally displaced climate migrants due to climate change impacts by 2050, assuming a high emissions scenario. However, the report also states that global reductions of emissions could help to reduce climate migrants by up to 27% with a combination of immediate and inclusive emission reductions and climate-resilient inclusive national development. The findings also indicate that climate mobility will continue as a result of decisions made today regarding climate adaptation policy.
This is a major issue for youth since we are not only the first to see the long-term effects of climate change, but as researchers, advocates, innovators, and community leaders, we are already working on solutions to climate change. In addition to being an important part of developing and implementing climate mobility policies, we also need to shape our voices and lived experiences. There should be no one who is forced to relocate because adaptation has failed, and all people, including those who are choosing or being forced to relocate, should be able to maintain their dignity and rights.
“The essence of climate mobility isn’t about moving; it’s about people being resilient, having dignity, and having a right to create a safe future in the face of climate change.”
Tanzania has a long history of migration as a means to address economic and environmental issues pressures; however, climate change is adding further stress to the existing vulnerabilities of People and increasing people’s propensity to migrate due to climate pressures. Thus, we should move beyond seeing climate mobility as a humanitarian concern and rather integrate it into development, governance, and climate justice. A step forward taken by Tanzania is its recent appointment to coordinate the African Climate Mobility Agenda, which represents a pivotal opportunity; it demonstrates there is a growing recognition that climate migration must receive more attention from governments in creating their national and regional climate policies. As a Tanzanian and an African youth, my hope for this leadership is that it enables the region to advocate for a people-centred approach that integrates climate resilient adaptation, migration governance, social protection, and locally led resilience.
As COP31 continues to develop, the issue of climate mobility cannot be relegated to the periphery of climate negotiations. It should be given equal priority to adaptation, climate finance, mitigation, loss and damage, and just transitions to ensure its visibility. Instead of being treated as a secondary issue, climate mobility should be considered as an independent policy priority and allow for cross-cutting solutions across the entire climate agenda.
