Global warming, seasonal variation drought and famine as well as desertification are among the indicators of climate change impact. Climate change is one of the most relevant issues currently around the world. Even though these problems take place everywhere in the world, the most afflicted ones are Africa and developing countries.

In Ethiopia, climate change is causing major effects on environment, agriculture, economy and society. Even on the ecosystem, numbers of different plants and animals are threatened to be extinct because they could not adopt the climate conditions that are changing rapidly. The environment of Ethiopia is getting affected by global warming, drought, desertification, flooding and the like.

Drought is the greatest climate hazard in Ethiopia. It occurs when there is very low rainfall or no rain fall at all. This happens when more greenhouse gas emissions are released into the air causing air temperature to increase and as a result, more moisture evaporates from land and lakes, rivers and other bodies of water. Warmer temperature also increases evaporation in plant soils, which affect plant life and reduces rainfall.

Desertification is type of land degradation which occurs because of deforestation and drought. The word desertification was defined as ?a reduction of the land production potential in arid, semi-arid and dry sub humid zone, that may ultimately lead to desert like condition? at UN conference (UNCOD) held in Nairobi in 1997.

Floods occur frequently in the country due to high rate of desertification, land degradation and other climate change risks. These flooding destroy property and pose a threat to dwellers.

Air pollution is another result of for climate change. Alien substance introduced in the atmosphere having destructive effects on the environment is considered as air pollution. Carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases are pollutants that are warming Earth.Carbon dioxide is widely considered to be a pollutant when associated with cars, planes, power plants, and other human activities that involve the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline and natural gas.

Global warming is caused by variety of gases and materials in our atmosphere, including huge amount of carbon dioxide and methane from human activities such as extracting and burning fossil fuel and clearing forests. These gases can trap heat in the atmosphere causing steadily increasing temperature.

The agriculture production of Ethiopia is getting low and lower every time. The increasing year to year variability and increasing in both drought and heavy precipitation events lower agricultural production with corresponding negative effects on food security. Increasing rainfall leads to larger amount of agricultural pollution, as heavy rains wash manure and fertilizer off of farm fields and into streams and lakes. Meanwhile, late rainfall and drought leads to crop loss, decrease in productivity, water shortage, soil erosion, reduce income from agricultural production, malnutrition and famine, et cetra.

The economy of Ethiopia is trembling down. This is because agriculture is the source of livelihood to the majority of Ethiopian population and is the base for national economy. As a developing country, Ethiopia?s vision to become a medium income, is being severely undermined or threatened by repetitive and seasonal drought and famine which are the result of climate change. With that being said Ethiopia is trying to address this pain sticking issue of climate change by building on climate resilient green economy. The good example is the country building the electric powered railway system in the capital city, Addis Ababa.

Climate change affects the society of Ethiopia. For instance, being a major threat to agriculture because of the continuous shifting of weather farmers can?t grow crops it will only be covered with weeds, pest which reduce agricultural production. These leads to famine, where lives are lost, people suffer, air will get warmer and polluted. It affects human health and wellbeing through extreme weather events and wildfires, decreased air quality and diseases transmitted by insects, food and water. Climate change could affect the society on social, cultural and natural resources level.

In order to reduce the climate conditions that are constantly changing:

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• We have to create awareness in the society Increase community knowledge and skills on proper natural resource management,
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•   Promoting afforestation, reforestation and get into gardening,agroforestry and climate smart agriculture practices (CSA)
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• Use animal husbandry to support the quality of livestock, which can make people less dependent on certain crops.
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•     Motivate the use of green architecture
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•      Eliminate the burning of coal, oil (fossil fuel).
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•     Reduce waste,
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•     Compost yard and food waste,
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•    Support people who are fighting to make a difference on climate change.

 

References

-        Emelie Cesar and Andrew Ekbom. (2013). Ethiopia environmental and Climate change policy brief

-        Henry N. Le Houreou. (October, 1995). Climate change, drought and desertification: Journal of Arid Environments.

-        Dr. Tim Lane. (June 17, 2014).  Desertification: land degradation under a changing climate

-        Marius Keller. (November 2009). Climate risk and development project

 

 

 

 

 

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