Search Climate Insights Directory

This introductory report by the Institute for Security Studies provides a geographic, climatic, and socio-political overview of Ethiopia, detailing its landlocked status, diverse ethnic landscape, and ongoing internal conflicts.

This monograph examines how competing interpretations of history and the material representation of memory—through monuments, statues, and the naming of public spaces—drive political polarisation and conflict in Ethiopia. The author identifies three primary ideological approaches to collective memory: rejectionist/reconstructivist, revivalist/restorationist, and moderationist. These approaches interact with four layers of 'invented traditions' (the pre-1991 'great tradition', post-1991 federal vernacular traditions, regional traditions, and local-level traditions), creating a 'battleground of memory wars' that reinforces vertical and horizontal tensions between the state and various political movements.

This report by the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) examines the intersection of methane emissions from the agri-food sector and human health. It identifies primary emission sources—including livestock, rice cultivation, and land-use change—and proposes systemic solutions that offer co-benefits for public health, such as reduced respiratory illness and improved nutrition.

This report by the Global Climate and Health Alliance examines the sources of methane emissions within food and agriculture systems and outlines the human health co-benefits of mitigation strategies. It advocates for systemic changes to food production and consumption, including the adoption of plant-rich diets and improved agricultural techniques, to reduce global warming and improve public health outcomes.

This report examines women's representation in Ethiopian political parties through an intersectional lens, arguing that current policy and legal frameworks treat women as a homogeneous group. It highlights how factors such as education, age, ethnicity, and marital status intersect to either facilitate or obstruct women's entry into and progress within political parties, while noting that patriarchy remains a significant systemic barrier.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines national dialogue processes in Sudan, South Sudan, and Kenya to provide lessons for Ethiopia's political transition. It analyzes how factors such as inclusivity, the credibility of conveners, and implementation mechanisms determine the legitimacy and success of such dialogues in resolving political crises and state-building deficits.

This policy brief, published by the Institute for Security Studies in 2017, analyzes Ethiopia's development trajectory toward 2030. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting system, the document evaluates the impact of various sectoral interventions—specifically in agriculture, education, health, and governance—on poverty, GDP per capita, and the Human Development Index (HDI). It argues that while Ethiopia has seen rapid growth and improvements in basic services since 1991, it still faces significant challenges in agricultural productivity, primary school completion, and domestic revenue mobilization. The brief recommends an 'Integrated Development Push' to accelerate the country's transition to lower-middle-income status.

This 2016 research paper reviews Ethiopia's climate change adaptation efforts, noting a historical temperature rise of 1.3°C (1960-2006) and projected further warming. It identifies high vulnerability among pastoralists and smallholder farmers and evaluates national strategies like the Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) Strategy, while noting gaps in adaptation for the health, energy, and transportation sectors.

Since the 1960s, Ethiopia has seen mean annual temperature increases of 0.5-1.3°C and a decrease in cold nights. Precipitation trends from 1981-2000 show declining short rains (Feb-Apr) and slight increases in long rains (Jun-Aug) and late-year rains (Oct-Nov), potentially threatening food security. Additionally, flooding has become more common, with major events in 1997 and 2006.

This research paper examines the relationship between Ethiopia's national dialogue and its transitional justice process, arguing that the two should be complementary and simultaneous rather than sequential. The author highlights tensions and delays in the transitional justice process, suggesting that strategic alignment and coordination are necessary to prevent one process from undermining the other.

This case study by the Stockholm Environment Institute, commissioned by the African Development Bank, examines the linkages between water management and poverty reduction in Ethiopia. It analyzes the country's water resources, agricultural dependencies, and the challenges of meeting Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for water supply and sanitation, while proposing strategies for small-scale irrigation and rainwater harvesting to improve food security and rural livelihoods.