Inclusion of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Ethiopia`s Nationally Determined Contributions 2020 Update Process- A Policy Brief

Abstract

Ethiopia has made large strides in water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) given rapid urbanization and a steadily increasing population. The country has developed several policies and plans that focus on improving the WASH sector. Simultaneously, the Government of Ethiopia has also developed several policies that tackle the impacts of climate change and aim to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by adapting sustainable climate resilient practices. The WASH sector plays a significant role in climate change as it contributes to GHG emissions but is also negatively affected by the impacts of climate change. In spite of the clear connection between the WASH sector and climate change Ethiopia’s NDCs do not fully address the mitigation and adaptation measures possible with water resources, sanitation, and waste management. There is growing evidence based on studies that globally emissions from sanitation and domestic wastewater are expected to rise significantly in the future. The sectoral approach in the preparation of the Ethiopia NDCs, rather than an integrated multi-sectoral approach risks missing out on important interactions and cross-cutting issues.