Climate-change-driven conflict: Insights from North Wollo, Northeast Ethiopia

Abstract

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues among the current environmental problems and it affects the livelihood of the community by creating scarcity of renewable resources. Ethiopia is one of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa extremely vulnerable to climate change. This study was aimed to investigate climate-change-driven conflict by taking case from Northeast Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey study was employed and data was collected from the primary and secondary sources. The structured household survey, key informant interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data from selected samples. About 100 survey respondents, 10 KII and 3 FGD participants were involved in generating data which was analyzed by employing descriptive and qualitative analysis techniques. The finding revealed that climate change is occurring through increasing temperature and decreasing rainfall and frequent drought caused by deforestation, degradation of natural resources and urbanization. Consequently, the participants have experienced critical shortage of water, animal fed and most of them were food insecure. Similarly, a considerable number of residents were exposed to climate-change-induced conflict. The conflict in North Wollo was climate driven and interethnic whereby Amhara ethnic are conflicting with Afar ethnic over the resources around their border. It is recommended that employing the customary law and religious institutions are the most trusted and leading agents to resolve conflict. Area-specific and local-based climate change adaptation techniques including drought-resistant plant species and reducing the number of livestock were suggested as the solutions to solve the problems.