CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN ETHIOPIA – CHALLENGES, INITIATIVES UNDERTAKEN AND STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS REQUIRED

Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions, or in the distribution of weather around the average conditions (i.e., more or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change is caused by factors such as biotic processes, variations in solar radiation received by Earth, plate tectonics, and volcanic eruptions. Certain human activities have also been identified as significant causes of recent climate change, often referred to as “global warming”. People of Ethiopia are confronted with several problems associated with climate change and sustainable development which has brought in huge challenge for government. This is reflected in extreme weather conditions: increasingly unpredictable rains, and sometimes the complete failure of seasonal rains (problems which are linked to climate change). This has resulted in a situation where millions of Ethiopians often face severe food shortages.

This concept note aims to give an insight into the climate change challenges Ethiopia is faced with and the strategies it has devised for adaptation in view of impacts of climate change and resulting extreme events (like recurrent drought). In terms of methodology employed, secondary data (collected from various sources: books, journals, etc.) have been used and they have been analyzed with the help of descriptive research method. Both qualitative and quantitative data have been used in the paper to support the statements made (in view of the laid down objective). The paper concludes that despite the fact that Ethiopia, like several other countries, is facing climate change challenges in the 21st Century, it is expected that the country will capitalize on its current economic growth by becoming more resilient to the impacts of climate change while developing its economy in a carbon neutral way.