By Kocrup Makuach Aleu
South Sudan is among the five most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. Since the mid-1970s, the recorded rainfall has decreased by 10%-20%. This is particularly concerning considering that 86% of rural population in the country relies on rainfed agriculture and animal husbandry for its livelihoods.
President Kiir Mayardit has urged the African leaders to join hands together in order to tackle and address head-on the negative impacts of climate change on the continent of Africa.
While addressing the global conference on Climate Change in Nairobi, President Kiir noted the need by the African political and business leaders to address and take climate change environmental-induced multifaceted crises seriously. For instance, Lake Chad has dried up. In addition to that, River Bangui is about to dry up.
The Summit took place under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Kenya, William Ruto. The theme of the conference is “Driving Green Growth and climate finance solutions for Africa and the world.” It aims to address the escalating exposure to climate change and its associated costs on humans and economic devastation. The loss of biodiversity is real.
The event provides a crucial platform for African leaders to deliberate and address the pressing climate-related issues affecting the continent.
The Summit was meant to address the environmental challenges in order to inform, frame, and drive the commitments, pledges, and outcomes, with the ultimate goal of developing the Nairobi Environmental Declaration. This is an agreement that will guide Africa’s response to climate change and resiliency.
President Kiir’s participation in the African Environmental Submit has demonstrated the dedication of the Government of South Sudan to addressing the urgent challenges posed by climate change facing South Sudan, in particular, and Africa continent, in general.
In conclusion, President Salva Kiir has urged the International Community to support South Sudan and Africa during the climate change crisis. Therefore, South Sudan has already experienced and seen the crisis affecting weather patterns, which had caused unreliable rainfalls, disastrous floods and severe droughts in some parts of South Sudan.
These adversities have had negatively impacted people’s health and crippling crucial sectors such as agriculture. The climate crisis is exacerbating national security issues as well, leading to political instability and displacement.
South Sudan and Africa must explore and develop cooperative frameworks that are intended to strike a balance between mitigation and adaptation factors.
