Introduction
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region is responsible for less than 1 per cent of historical global greenhouse gas emissions and yet remains disproportionately affected by the impacts of
climate change. About 70% of the IGAD region falls under Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and the region remains water scarce, with rain-fed agriculture and livestock production systems making up the backbone of the IGAD economies, making them extremely susceptible to climate change. Furthermore, recent research findings,
including from the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sixth Assessment Report (IPCC AR6), project that climate change will continue to disproportionality affect the IGAD region and exacerbate the vulnerabilities of its Member States.
These impacts will result in the loss of lives and livelihoods and the destruction of properties and critical infrastructure and will further multiply and escalate the existing security and development challenges faced by the region and its Member States. Climate change-related impacts therefore continue to undermine the region’s socio-economic development, stability and integration agenda and its efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals by 2030.
Due to these current and anticipated vulnerabilities, climate adaptation has been recognised as central to the climate response of the IGAD region and its Member States. As such, a new IGAD Climate Adaptation Strategy (2023-2030) has been developed to display the region’s concerted and renewed commitment to this key climate and development priority.
