Located on the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is home to extraordinary geographical and ecological diversity; including high plateaus, mountains and dry lowland plains which provide a wide variation of climates, soils, and vegetation. The population of 102.4 million is highly dependent on rain-fed agriculture, which represents approximately 85% of the labour force.
The country is profoundly impacted by changes in climate. Increasing temperature and decreasing rainfall have resulted in deepening drought conditions including devastating scarcities in the 1980’s, 2011, and 2015-2017. Changes in precipitation have also contributed to increased incidence of flash flooding.
Water scarcity decreases access to drinking water, reduces hand-washing and bathing, and limits the use of water flushed toilets, increasing the incidence of “water-washed diseases” such as the 2016 drought in Ethiopia which led to a scabies outbreak in the Amhara state, affecting more than 370,000 people.
In 2006 flooding led to several acute water diarrhoea outbreaks across Ethiopia. Further, climate change contributes to the increased breeding conditions for mosquito, intensifying the occurrence of vector-borne diseases. From 2013-2014 Ethiopia saw its first-ever dengue fever outbreak and the first occurrence of yellow fever in 65 years.
For more information on climate and health in Ethiopia, read the WHO UNFCCC Ethiopia Country Profile here.
NEWS
ACTIVITIES
El Niño and Health Global Overview
Organizations involved: WHO
Description: The overview provides an analysis of the current and expected evolution of El Niño conditions, their impacts on health, and country response actions.
ENACTS – Enhancing National Climate Services Initiative
Organizations involved: IRI, DFID, GFCS
Description: The Enhancing National Climate Services (ENACTS) initiative transforms local, national and regional climate-sensitive development decisions through the widespread uptake of timely, relevant, locally-enhanced and quality-assured climate information at relevant spatial and temporal scales.
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments
Organizations involved: WHO, GIZ
Description: V&A Assessments build capacity, establish partnerships, and provide actionable information for decision-makers on health risks associated with climate, and identify priority policies and programmes to prevent or reduce the severity of future impacts.
Website: https://www.climhealthafrica.org/projects-vulnerability-and-adaptation-assessments
ATLAS – Climate Adaptation, Thought Leadership and Assessments
Organisations involved: INS (implementer), USAID (donor)
Description: ATLAS aims to improve the quality and effectiveness of climate risk reduction in development programmes through tested, harmonised approaches to adaptation assessments; thought leadership; and by building the capacity of USAID and its partners.
Photo credit: Henriques Balidy, 2015, Centre for the Sustainable Development of Coastal Zones.
HISTORY OF CLIMATE AND HEALTH ACTION IN ETHIOPIA
NATIONAL POLICY RESPONSE
The WHO and UNFCCC Climate and Health Country Profiles (2015) provide a standard framework for gauging national policy responses to climate and health issues. The table below shows the latest information for Ethiopia, updated in 2016.
GOVERNANCE AND POLICY
| Country has identifed a national focal point for climate change in the Ministry of Health | |
| Country has a national health adaptation strategy approved by relevant government body | |
| The National Communication submitted to UNFCCC includes health implications of climate change mitigation policies |
HEALTH ADAPTATION IMPLEMENTATION
| Country is currently implementing projects or programs on health adaptation to climate change | |
| Country has implemented actions to build institutional and technical capacities to work on climate change and health | |
| Country has conducted a national assessment of climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation for health | |
| Country has climate information included in Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system, including development of early warning and response systems for climate-sensitive health risks | |
| Country has implemented activities to increase climate resilience of health infrastructure |
FINANCING AND COSTING MECHANISMS
| Estimated costs to implement health resilience to climate change included in planned allocations from domestic funds in the last financial biennium | |
| Estimated costs to implement health resilience to climate change included in planned allocations from international funds in the last fnancial biennium |
HEALTH ADAPTATION IMPLEMENTATION
| The national strategy for climate change mitigation includes consideration of the health implications (health risks or co-benefts) of climate change mitigation actions | |
| Country has conducted valuation of co-benefts of health implications of climate mitigation policies |