FAO works with Somali government to join global fight against climate change

Mogadishu – Somalia faces great challenges posed by climate change, making its participation in global efforts to find solutions a necessity

Somalia is no stranger to the devastating effects of climate change. In the last 20 years the country has faced an increasing number of climate events that have negatively affected food security and displaced millions of people. And while the country is among those to contribute the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, Somalia recognizes that it takes all nations to join together under initiatives such as the Paris Agreement to fight climate change.

In support of this, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is Collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to develop its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) plan of action to the Paris Agreement. The NDC is a plan that outlines how Somalia will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change, as well as helping countries vulnerable to climate change such as Somalia to access climate financing.

FAO intends to support the government to develop tools and systems on counting GHGs emissions such as Ex ACT and NEXT. The tools help countries to interpret, track and scale up ambition of their NDCs which could ultimately inform the global stock take of the Paris Agreement in a harmonized way, and ensure countries like Somalia can access climate finance. Other technical support including climate risk assessments and climate impact assessments on production systems is also being provided.

“FAO is committed to helping Somalia build a more resilient future in the face of climate change,” said Rym Benzid, FAO’s Senior Environment Advisor in Somalia following the NDC review and development of NDC implementation plan workshop held in Mogadishu on July 12, 2023. “The NDC is an important part of this effort, and we are proud to be partnering with the government in its development,” she said.

NDC Country Facilitator and Policy Advisor to the Federal Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Abdullahi Khalif said that Somalia takes seriously its responsibility to participate in global efforts to fight climate change.

“The NDC is part of our roadmap towards a more climate adaptive future,” said Dr. Khalif. “We believe that we can ensure economic development and also contribute to global efforts that address this threat that affects us all,” he said.

While Somalia is participating in global climate solutions like the Paris Agreement, the international community must also invest in livelihoods, resilience, infrastructure development, climate adaptation and durable solutions. This will ensure that Somalia’s young and growing population can adapt and thrive in the future. Without international support, Somalia risks becoming even more vulnerable to the impacts of a globally changing climate, with disasters taking a greater toll on food security and human life in the future.

As well as partnering with the country’s climate change agenda, FAO is working with the government of Somalia to improve climate resilience through strengthening the climate adaptiveness of its productive sectors. It’s also strengthening data collection and analysis functions for early warning and anticipatory action to mitigate the impact of climate shocks.

“Our country is a bellwether for climate change. The challenges that Somalia are facing now is what the future holds for other countries if we don’t take collective action,” said Dr. Khalif. “We want to show that if we work together for local and global solutions, Somalia can inspire others to treat the climate emergency with the seriousness that it deserves,” he said.