Tanzania Ocean Climate Innovation Hub (SAEON Seminar, July 2024)

Presenter: Shamim Wasii Nyanda (Doors of Hope Foundation)
Title: Tanzania Ocean Climate Innovation Hub
Abstract: Tanzania Ocean Climate Innovation Hub, endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade, is a project that seeks to create a platform for collective knowledge sharing and resilience building. By bringing together key stakeholders, the hub aims to support their mitigation and adaptation efforts against the substantial challenges posed by Ocean Climate Change. Here, "Ocean Climate Change" refers to the anticipated impacts on ocean and marine ecosystems and services resulting from anthropogenic climate breakdown, based on the most up-to-date scientific insights.
This project (the hub) fosters innovation, collaboration, and sustainable practices to address the growing threats faced by coastal societies in Tanzania and beyond. The Ocean Climate Innovation Hub aligns with the global need for real action on climate change, focusing on its impact on coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and economies.
The project is led by Shamim Wasii Nyanda, a 25-year-old environmental advocate, social scientist, and youth advisor member to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in international policies and meaningful youth participation. The hub is run in partnership with the University of Dar es Salaam School of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries. Our implementing partners include Bagamoyo entrepreneurs, with whom we have established an ocean ecosystem focusing on reduce, repair, remove, and reach, while improving community livelihoods. Ocean literacy forms the backbone of our approach to addressing the causes and impacts of climate disruption within the ocean ecosystem.
The project commenced on September 1, 2023 as an officially endorsed project of the UN Ocean Decade, and will run until December 30, 2030. This extended timeline underscores a commitment to long-term, impactful interventions and the continuous adaptation required to meet evolving environmental challenges.