Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia has been identified as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate variability and change, and is frequently faced with climate-related hazards, commonly drought and floods. The variability of rain fall and the increasing temperature were a cause for frequent drought and famine, and putting disastrous impact on the livelihood of the peoples.  At the national level, World Bank suggests that climate change may reduce Ethiopia’s GDP compared to a baseline scenario by 2-6% by 2015, and by up to 10% by 2045. The most vulnerable sectors to climate variability and change in the country are agriculture, water and human health.  To cope up the effects of climate change, adaptation and mitigation measures are being practicing in the country.  At the higher level, the governments has signed and ratified all the Rio Conventions, namely the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Protocol, the Bio-diversity Convention and the Conventions to Combat Desertification. Following these, the government has initiated the Climate-Resilient Green Economy both to adapt and mitigate climate change. There are also different adaptation measures undertaking by different peoples at different levels. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to present adaptation and mitigation measures undertaking throughout the country at different levels.

Keywords: Climate change, adaptation, mitigation