Military field training and environmental security in Tanzania

Abstract

The militaries of any country conduct field training as part of preparations for the defence of the territory. Such field training pose threats to environmental security. In that regard, this research examines the extent to which Tanzania’s environmental documentations address military field training and environmental security considerations. The rationale is that the United Republic of Tanzania is a UN ratified member to a series of treaties relevant to protection of the environment. However, since the time of ratification there is hardly explicit provisions to regulate military field training for environmental security in the country. The researcher applied doctrinal research methodology where the secondary data was supplemented with primary sources. A critical scholarly inquiry of obtained data were descriptively and thematically analyzed. The examination revealed that much has been insisted in regional and international instruments relevant to environmental security. However, the national policy and legislative framework of Tanzania do not capture explicitly the challenge of environmental destruction by the militaries. On that note, the research makes recommendations to fill up this knowledge gap. Lastly, the research has a broad appeal for the armed forces, civil society and government defence organizations, as well as academics and students interested in the environmental security.