South Sudan's first state of environment and outlook report 2018: Climate Change Concerns High

This first ever State of the Environment and Outlook report for South Sudan by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will form the basis and the benchmark for assessments, inventories, mapping and valuation of our vast natural resources.

According to this Report, the impacts of global climate change and natural hazards are conspiring with socioeconomic drivers to form a complex dynamic of causes contributing to environmental change in South Sudan. Already, the country’s climate is characterized by extremes and it regularly experiences drought, torrential rains and seasonal flooding. Since the mid-1970s, South Sudan has experienced a decline of between 10 to 20 per cent in average precipitation as well as increased variability in the amount and timing of rainfall from year to year.

South Sudan is susceptible to natural hazards, especially drought and floods. Given the population’s dependence on seasonal rains to support their livelihoods, severe disruption of rainfall patterns combined with increased vulnerability will jeopardize the capacity of huge numbers of people to sustain themselves, a situation that is already occurring in several parts of the country.

The report therefore notes that, increased drought and flood and a more unpredictable climate, when combined with rapid population growth and the expansion of farming, are likely to see a rise in clashes over natural resources, reflecting how climate change can contribute to conflict.