TANZANIA is hosting a landmark international conference of negotiators on applying artificial intelligence (AI) to address the growing challenges of climate change.

Dr Richard Muyungi, the State House advisor on environment and climate change who chairs the African group of negotiators on climate change experts, said yesterday that the event is organized under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) technology executive committee, bringing together over 200 global participants.

The conference is intended to promote the use of AI technology to accelerate effective and sustainable environmental protection measures across the continent, he stated, asserting that hosting the conference was occasioned by the significant contribution of President Samia Suluhu Hassan in advancing the energy and wider environmental agenda.

Owing to Tanzania’s advocacy for sustainable technology, the United Nations recognizes the president’s leadership as a catalyst for the success in the upcoming global conference and preliminary negotiations for a common position, he stated.

Prof Peter Msoffe, the Environment deputy permanent secretary in the Vice-President's Office (VPO), emphasized that technological progress has opened new avenues where AI can be used for rapid analysis and predicting climate change impacts, enabling environmental cleanliness and protecting biodiversity.

“It is time to utilize AI as a critical tool for building climate resilience. Tanzania welcomes this conference as a platform to learn, share experiences and develop a unified approach to the responsible use of this technology,” he stated.

The four-day event is focused on translating the potential of AI into practical climate action, with key discussion areas listed as funding mechanisms for AI-based climate projects, capacity building for professionals and institutions in developing countries, along with advancement of technological infrastructure and data collection systems to support AI deployment.

He appealed to youth entrepreneurs and tech professionals to seize the opportunity to learn and explore ways of applying AI in climate change mitigation, adaptation and environmental conservation.

Fred Onduri, a tech committee member, explained that the committee’s mandate is to support developing countries, especially the least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS), in technical assistance, training and AI innovation awards.

Gustavo Nogueira, the resident Brazilian ambassador, stressed that AI is a vital tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the role of international cooperation to ensure AI technology is applied equitably, ethically and for the benefit of all.

The conference is a milestone for Tanzania, working to emerge as a centre for technological innovation in environmental protection, offering a platform for knowledge exchange and policy development to leverage AI for sustainable climate action across Africa and beyond, he added.