Climate Change Adaptation and Decision Making in the Sudan

Sudan is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its reliance on rain-fed agriculture, with projections indicating significant declines in crop yields and increased water scarcity by 2060. The document argues that while the country has established frameworks like the Environmental Protection Act of 2001 and the National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA), effective adaptation is hindered by political instability, top-down planning, and land tenure conflicts. It recommends a comprehensive approach including land tenure reform, a national early warning system, and the integration of climate risks into all levels of national development planning.

• Sudan's food security is critically dependent on rainfall, particularly for the more than 65% of the population living in rural areas.
• Climate models for the Kordofan Region predict substantial declines in crop production between 2030 and 2060, with millet expected to drop by 15% to 62% and sorghum by 29% to 71%.
• Climate change is expected to increase health risks in Sudan, specifically increasing the transmission potential of malaria by 2060, particularly in the Kordofan Region.
• Water availability is projected to become the most critical issue in the Kordofan Region due to a combination of population growth, high evaporation, and declining soil moisture.
• Non-climatic factors exacerbate vulnerability in rural Sudan, including deep poverty, deforestation, resource mismanagement, and poor health and sanitation services.
• Agricultural planning has been hindered by a top-down approach, political instability, and conflicts arising from the 1970 land registration which allowed the State to assume unregistered tribal lands.
• The Environmental Protection Act of 2001 serves as umbrella legislation to coordinate environmental conservation and sustainable development through the Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources (HCENR).
• Effective adaptation requires mainstreaming climate risks into national planning, addressing gaps in legislation, and establishing a national early warning system.

APA

Nimir, M. B., & Elgizouli, I. A. (2010). Climate Change Adaptation and Decision Making in the Sudan. World Resources Institute. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-01/wrr-2010-11-question-2-response-4.pdf

Chicago

Nimir, Mutasim Bashir, and Ismail A. Elgizouli. Climate Change Adaptation and Decision Making in the Sudan. World Resources Institute, 2010. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-01/wrr-2010-11-question-2-response-4.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Nimir |first1=Mutasim Bashir |last2=Elgizouli |first2=Ismail A. |title=Climate Change Adaptation and Decision Making in the Sudan |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=2010 |url=https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-01/wrr-2010-11-question-2-response-4.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{nimir2010climate, author = {Nimir, Mutasim Bashir and Elgizouli, Ismail A.}, title = {{Climate Change Adaptation and Decision Making in the Sudan}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2010}, url = {https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-01/wrr-2010-11-question-2-response-4.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }