Synthesis of Deforestation and Forest-Based Climate Change Mitigation Strategies in Ethiopia: Review

Abstract

Despite diverse ecosystems and rich biodiversity, Ethiopia faces severe environmental challenges, including deforestation, land degradation, and climate variability and change.  In Ethiopia, the forest cover dramatically decreased from 40% in the 19th century to 3% in 2000, largely due to agricultural expansion, population growth, and weak forest governance. Deforestation not only threatens biodiversity but also exacerbates the country's climate vulnerabilities, which is heavily dependent on rainfed agriculture. This study provides an overview of deforestation and forest-based climate mitigation strategies in Ethiopia. The review comprehensively examined over 80 documents, including peer-reviewed journal articles, MSc theses, reports, and policy documents from 2002 onwards. The findings revealed that the deforestation rate decreased by 69.8% from 2000 to 2023. This indicates that forest conservation strategies have been implemented. Ethiopia recently practised different forest-based mitigation strategies, including forest conservation, afforestation and reforestation, REDD+ programs, and agroforestry expansion for increasing forest cover and decreasing the adverse impact of climate variability and change. As a result, the forest cover has increased from 17.2% in 2019 to 23.6% in 2023. Despite significant efforts in the country, institutional weaknesses, political instability, land tenure insecurity, and inadequate policy enforcement continue to hinder sustainable forest management and development. We conclude that deforestation has been reduced significantly in Ethiopia. To strengthen forest-based mitigation efforts, the study recommends improving institutional coordination, enforcing environmental policies, enhancing community engagement, and ensuring data accessibility