Beyond Policy Alignment: Assessing Climate Change Mainstreaming in Local Government Planning in Mwanga District, Tanzania

Abstract

Climate change poses significant challenges to local development planning, particularly in vulnerable semi-arid regions such as Mwanga District in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. This study assessed the extent of climate change mainstreaming in Mwanga District development planning processes by examining the alignment of district planning documents with national climate change frameworks and evaluating the level of practical integration of climate change considerations into district governance systems. The study employed a mixed-methods approach involving document review, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Policy content analysis and indicator-based assessment were used to evaluate climate change integration through the Policy Alignment Matrix (PAM), Climate Mainstreaming Index (CMI), and the combined Climate Change Alignment and Mainstreaming Index (CCAMI). The findings indicate that Mwanga District achieved a strong overall policy alignment score (PAM = 61.7%) and a strong Climate Mainstreaming Index (CMI = 65%), resulting in an overall CCAMI score of 63.4%, suggesting substantial integration of climate change considerations into district planning processes. However, mainstreaming was uneven across dimensions, with stronger emphasis on climate adaptation, water resource management, environmental conservation, and disaster risk reduction, while climate finance, climate mitigation, and climate information systems remained weakly integrated. Major challenges affecting mainstreaming included a lack of awareness, limited technical capacity, inadequate financial resources, and weak institutional coordination. The study concludes that although Mwanga District has established an important foundation for climate-resilient planning, effective mainstreaming requires strengthened institutional coordination, dedicated climate financing, improved technical capacity, and enhanced climate information systems. The study contributes to local climate governance literature by demonstrating the importance of integrating policy coherence and implementation effectiveness in assessing climate change mainstreaming at the local government level.