South Sudan Country Climate and Development Report

Key messages:

1. South Sudan has fallen into a vicious cycle of fragility, conflict, and climate vulnerability, with climate change acting as a threat multiplier, exacerbating displacement, food insecurity, social dislocation, resource conflict, and grievance. 
2. Already one of the fastest-warming countries, 80 percent of South Sudan’s population depends on climate-vulnerable livelihoods. More than half of the population is chronically food insecure, due to a combination of conflict and climate factors.
3. The devastating floods of recent years are likely to become the new normal, and will be joined by increasing climate stress on labor productivity, agrifood systems, and human health. 
4. This Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) identifies priority investments to strengthen resilience in flood risk management, resilient rural livelihoods, sustainable natural resource use, and sustainable energy access.
5. These require substantial fiscal resources, but the public finance system is under severe strain, and external support is set to decline sharply. Domestic revenue mobilization— particularly more targeted and effective use of existing government revenues and more efficient, transparent spending—is therefore essential to promote adaptation. Core governance reforms also need to support private sector development and climate action.
6. Inclusive and sustainable growth is indispensable for the country to achieve longer-term climate resilience. South Sudan has considerable economic growth potential, mainly in the agricultural and natural resources sectors. Its economy will remain climate sensitive, but improved security, robust and inclusive short-to-medium-term growth and diversification in the longer term will provide resources to mitigate the largest impacts and improve coping abilities at household level.