Ethiopia faces one of its greatest challenges today with the increasing impact of climate change.
Climate change is causing severe droughts and extreme weather events, which have devastating effects on Ethiopia’s agriculture and water resources. This situation threatens the livelihoods of millions who depend on rain-fed farming and grazing lands.
In recent years, Ethiopia has experienced its most severe drought in 40 years, severely affecting the arid pastoral areas.
As a result, poverty, food insecurity, and loss of biodiversity have worsened. Millions of Ethiopians are now in urgent need of food assistance, illustrating the critical humanitarian challenge posed by climate change.
Addressing climate change requires urgent and sustained action.
Efforts are being made to build resilience and leverage opportunities for better management of natural resources.
By integrating environmental issues into development projects, there is hope to mitigate some of the adverse effects and improve the prospects for Ethiopia’s future.
How Has Climate Change Impacted Ethiopia
Ethiopia has encountered significant impacts from climate change affecting various aspects of life.
Seasonal patterns have become more unpredictable, with shifts in the rainy season causing farming difficulties.
For instance, since 1960, there has been an increase in average annual temperature by about 1.3°C, with a corresponding rise of 0.28°C per decade.
Agriculture, which heavily depends on rainfall, has experienced severe droughts and reduced precipitation.
The drought of recent years is considered the most severe in 40 years, leading to food insecurity and famine.
Temperature extremes and erratic rainfall have also affected forestry and natural resources.
Deforestation has increased as communities rely on wood for fuel. Degraded agricultural and pasture lands have exacerbated poverty and food insecurity.
The increased frequency of floods and droughts has made the country’s vulnerability more pronounced.
Seasonal floods damage physical infrastructure and crops, while droughts hinder water availability for pastoral communities like those in Amhara and Afar.
Conflict has been intensified as resources become scarcer.
For example, competition over dwindling water sources and fertile land has led to conflicts among local communities.
Spatially, regions such as Tigray and Afar have been on the emergency watchlist due to extreme vulnerability to climatic changes.
Food assistance and aid have become crucial in combatting hunger and malnutrition, further stressing the economic activities and GDP of the nation.
How Is Ethiopia Going to Be Impacted by Future Climate Change
Ethiopia faces significant challenges from future climate change.
Temperature increase is expected to cause more frequent and severe heatwaves.
This can affect agriculture and water resources, critical for the country’s economy.
Population growth and urban expansion will increase emissions from transport and industry.
This growth necessitates adaptation strategies like renewable energy and advanced technologies to reduce carbon footprints.
There is a focus on Ethiopia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.
This includes mitigation efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation interventions to improve resilience.
The Climate-Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) strategy aims to integrate climate change adaptation with economic growth.
This includes practices like agroforestry, sustainable development, and reforestation to restore degraded lands.
Irrigation systems and land management are being improved to increase agricultural yields and water use efficiency.
Education and community training programs are essential to enhance adaptive capacity and support shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs).
Buildings and infrastructure need to be climate-proofed to withstand future weather extremes.
Mitigation strategies also involve promoting renewable energy projects to meet growing energy demands sustainably.
Efforts under the REDD+ initiative seek to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, which is crucial for maintaining carbon sinks.
Adaptation interventions focus on enhancing the resilience of vulnerable populations through improved governance and investment in climate-resilient practices.
Linking to these strategies, the World Climate Research Program and CMIP6 projections guide Ethiopia in planning for the Sixth Assessment Report scenarios.
This helps in understanding future climate impacts and aligning national plans accordingly.