Adaptation is a priority for the Government of Ethiopia given the devastating impacts of climate change in Ethiopia which are projected to magnify in future.40 adaptation interventions covering Agriculture, Forestry, Water, Transport, Urban, Health, Land use and natural resource management, and Climate services and disaster risk reduction sectors have been prioritised. This includes mitigation interventions that have adaptation co-benefits. A quantified baseline and 2030 target for each adaptation intervention has been identified for guidance on implementation and monitoring of the updated NDC.
Gender considerations are cross-cutting in the prioritised adaptation interventions. There is clear demarcation between unconditional and conditional adaptation interventions. Prioritised adaptation interventions are aligned with Ethiopia’s current policy and institutional framework for easy and integrated implementation.There is a growing evidence base and quantification of impacts of climate change and vulnerability in Ethiopia across different scales, and sectors. Continued effort to update and quantify climate vulnerability is still needed.
Adaptation interventions and official development interventions are closely linked and almost inseparable. A common and agreeable distinction criterion is needed in close consultation with stakeholders and in alignment with international best practices to distinguish adaptation interventions from official development interventions.
The Government of Ethiopia continues to make progress in adaptation policy, strategy development and implementation, as well as related institutional arrangements. This has contributed to an improved enabling environment for climate change adaptation through resource mobilisation and capacity building initiatives. The Climate Resilient and Green Economy Strategy (CRGE), developed in 2011, sets out a vision for Ethiopia to become a lower-middle-income country by 2025. The Climate Resilience component of the strategy is predicated on sustainable economic development, highlighting both the country’s prospects for growth and its vulnerability to climate, as well as the changes required to achieve greater resilience. However, the focus of the CRGE is on mitigation, leaving a gap in the adaptation landscape. This is a striking gap as Ethiopia is a Least Developed Country (LDC), highly vulnerable to climate impacts and contributes almost negligible GHG emissions compared to global emissions.
In response to the gap in adaptation planning at the national, sub national and sectoral levels, the Government of Ethiopia has developed five sectoral climate resilience strategies. This is a clear affirmation of Ethiopia’s commitment to contributing to the goals of the Paris Agreement considering Ethiopia’s national circumstances. These sectoral climate resilience strategies were developed in line with the latest guidelines.31 They are designed to support relevant ministries and regional offices, within the Government of Ethiopia, to integrate the CRGE strategy into annual and medium-term sectoral plans. These climate resilience strategies cover: agriculture and forestry, transport, health, water and energy, and urban development and housing sectors.
In the 2015 Paris Agreement, the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process was highlighted as a key mechanism for achieving the global goal on adaptation based on an iterative and country-driven process that draws on existing adaptation planning initiatives where possible. Ethiopia developed its National Adaptation Plan 2017 (NAP-ETH) to provide a framework for its response to climate change by building adaptive capacity and enhancing the country’s resilience. The Plan included 18 adaptation options and 5 strategic priorities, to be implemented between 2017 and 2030. These options and priorities serve as guidance for preparing Ethiopia’s priority adaptation actions during this NDC update period. The NAP-ETH also strengthens the integration of adaptation planning processes, through effective institutions and governance structures; sourcing finance for implementation and capacity development; strengthened systems for disaster risk management, and integration among both sectors and levels.
The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Implementation Roadmap (2019) elaborates implementation strategies for the adaptation options and strategic priorities identified in the NAP-ETH. The aim of the roadmap is to highlight key enabling actions that are crucial to actualising Ethiopia’s NAP within the agreed timelines. The roadmap also highlights the role of key actors whose collective response will contribute to successful implementation of the NAP-ETH, as suggested by the UNFCCC guidelines. The roadmap provides guidance on implementation of actions identified through the NAP process as well as unearthing adaptation finance gaps and needs. The government of Ethiopia has made progress in setting up a robust M&E system for adaptation monitoring and evaluation that will require continuous strengthening over time. Accompanying the system, an adaptation M&E technical paper that identifies indicators and entities responsible for delivering each of the 18 NAP adaptation options is a useful and practical tool. The technical paper also makes linkages to Ethiopia’s long-term priorities, thus providing a sound foundation for designing and setting up the adaptation M&E system for the enhanced NDC. Most recently, a Resource Mobilisation Strategy for NAP-ETH was developed