An Assessment of Tanzania’s Legal Framework on Military Field Training and Environmental Protection in Comparison with China

This paper assesses Tanzania’s environmental legislation on military field training in comparison with China. Both countries have ratified environmental treaties and conduct regular land, air and water training that impacts ecosystems, yet Tanzania’s military role in environmental decline has received little scrutiny. Using doctrinal and qualitative research, the study compares relevant regulations in both jurisdictions, drawing lessons from China’s more developed framework. China integrates environmental norms into both military and environmental law ensuring coordination and specificity, while Tanzania’s framework is less comprehensive. The paper recommends strengthening Tanzania’s National Defence Act with environmental provisions, advancing policy and scholarship on sustainable military training and raising awareness of its ecological impacts. The findings are relevant to the military, defence institutions, policymakers, scholars and students of environmental studies.