Public awareness of climate change remains low.
Key findings
- Almost four in 10 Ethiopians (37%) say droughts have become more severe in their region over the past 10 years, ranging from just 17% in the Benishangul-Gumuz region to 78% in Addis Ababa. Three in 10 (30%) report worsening floods, though this ranges up to 79% in Addis Ababa.
- Fewer than half (47%) of citizens say they have heard about climate change. o Awareness is particularly low among women, rural residents, and the least educated.
- Among those who are aware of climate change: o Fewer than half (45%) say it is making life in Ethiopia worse. o Most respondents believe that ordinary citizens can help curb climate change (75%) and that their government needs to take immediate climate action, even at considerable economic cost (79%). o Most assign the primary responsibility for fighting climate change to the government (46%) and ordinary citizens (43%). o Overwhelming majorities say greater efforts to fight climate change are needed from the government (90%), business and industry (90%), developed countries (87%), and citizens (87%).
- Even as they call for greater action, two-thirds (66%) of citizens approve of the government's performance in addressing climate change.
Ethiopia is highly susceptible to climate-related disasters. Cumulatively, the impact of its 2021- 2023 drought on the country's arid and pastoral regions ranks among the most severe in the past four decades (World Bank, 2024; United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 2023). Effects of the drought were compounded by conflicts in certain regions, complicating humanitarian aid and access to resources (Yibeltal & Kupemba, 2023). Concurrently, heavy rains triggered flooding in some regions, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of communities already grappling with the effects of the prolonged drought (Davies, 2023; Demisse, 2022).
Climate-induced shocks pose risks to public health, livelihoods, infrastructure, and agricultural productivity. Ethiopia's annual gross domestic product losses due to climate impacts are projected to rise from 1%-1.5% to 5%-10% by the 2040s, underscoring the urgent need for resilient climate strategies and sustainable development practices (World Bank, 2010, 2024).
Through its Climate-Resilient Green Economy strategy, Ethiopia aims to transition to a green economy and achieve middle-income status by prioritising climate-smart agriculture, forest restoration, renewable energy expansion, and energy-efficient industries. Further, under its updated Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement, Ethiopia has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 68% by 2030, up from its initial target of 64%, reaffirming its commitment to tackling climate change (World Bank, 2021).
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This dispatch reports on a special survey module included in the Afrobarometer Round 9 (2021/2023) questionnaire to explore Africans' attitudes and perceptions related to climate change.
Findings show that fewer than half of Ethiopians have heard of climate change. Among those aware of climate change, a majority say the government is doing a good job of addressing the threat. Nonetheless, there is a broad consensus that stronger action is needed, with large majorities calling for greater engagement by the government, business and industry, developed countries, and ordinary citizens.
Anne Okello Anne is the assistant project manager for East Africa
