Climate change in Ethiopia

Climate change in Ethiopia is affecting the people in Ethiopia due to increased floods, heat waves and infectious diseases. In the Awash basin in central Ethiopia floods and droughts are common. Agriculture in the basin is mainly rainfed (without irrigation systems). This applies to around 98% of total cropland as of 2012. So changes in rainfall patterns due to climate change will reduce economic activities in the basin. Rainfall shocks have a direct impact on agriculture. A rainfall decrease in the Awash basin could lead to a 5% decline in the basin's overall GDP. The agricultural GDP could even drop by as much as 10%.

Temperature and weather changes
Between 1960 and 2006, the mean annual temperature increased by 1.3°C. On average, the rate would be 0.28°C in temperature per decade. A study from 2008 predicted further warming of 0.7°C and 2.3°C by 2020s and 1.4°C by 2050s.

Rainfall, droughts and floods
Ethiopia has two main wet seasons per year. It rains in the spring and summer. These seasonal patterns of rainfall vary a lot across the country. Western Ethiopia has a seasonal rainfall pattern that is similar to the Sahel. It has rainfall from February to November (which is decreasing to the north), and has peak rainfall from June to September. Southern Ethiopia has a rainfall pattern similar to the one in East Africa. There are two distinct wet seasons every year, February to May, and October to November. Central and eastern Ethiopia has some rainfall between February and November, with a smaller peak in rainfall from March to May and a second higher peak from June to September. In 2022 Ethiopia had one of the most severe La Niña-induced droughts in the last forty years. It came about due to four consecutive rainy seasons which did not produce enough rain. This drought increased water insecurity for more than 8 million pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the Somali, Oromia, SNNP and South-West regions. About 7.2 million people needed food aid, and 4.4 million people needed help to access water. Food prices have increased a lot due to the drought conditions. Many people in the affected area have experienced food shortages due to the water insecurity situation.

The exact attribution of climate change to the occurrence of droughts and floods in Ethiopia is difficult. One study from 2022 stated for Ethiopia: "While regional models predict increase in rainfall, higher resolution analyses for Ethiopia suggest spatial variations in which there are both increases and decreases in the overall rainfall averages. An increase in the rainfall variability is also predicted, with a rising frequency of both extreme flooding and droughts that could seriously affect agricultural production."

Significant droughts lead to drying of water resources and eventually water scarcity. Subsequent outcomes include poor hygiene and can lead to faeco-oral transmission of disease.

In 2016, deadly floods hit Ethiopia, leaving at least 200 people dead and over 200,000 people homeless as seasonal rains came early to the country. Causes for floods can be deforestation, presence of rivers such as the Baro, Akobo, Gilo, and Alwero, in low lying homogeneous topography and climate change.

Economic impacts
Climate change also affects the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country by reducing between 0.5% and 2.5% each year (estimate for 2010).

In the Awash basin in central Ethiopia floods and droughts are common. Agriculture in the basin is mainly rainfed (without irrigation systems). This applies to around 98% of total cropland as of 2012. So changes in rainfall patterns due to climate change will reduce economic activities in the basin. Rainfall shocks have a direct impact on agriculture. A rainfall decrease in the Awash basin could lead to a 5% decline in the basin's overall GDP. The agricultural GDP could even drop by as much as 10%.