Republic of South Sudan
Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (Draft)
Introduction
1. The Republic of South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan on 9 July
2011 after more than 50 years of a protracted war that claimed over 3 million
lives and displaced over a million people. The long conflict destroyed the little
infrastructure and governance structures that existed prior to the conflict. Thus,
South Sudan is the one of the least developed countries in Africa, and as such ishighly vulnerable to climate change.
2. South Sudan is vulnerable to climate change and associated socio-economic
losses and damages due to the dependence of its population on climate-sensitive
natural resources for their livelihoods. Furthermore, there is currently limited
institutional and technical capacity, appropriate technologies and financial
resources to support the implementation of interventions for adaptation toclimate change.
3. The Ministry of Environment has developed an Environment Policy Frameworkand Environmental Bill that will regulate the exploitation of natural resources
and all forms of socio-economic development in the country. The Policy and Bill,
when operationalized, will address the drivers of environmental degradationand contribute towards the mitigation of climate change while ushering thecountry towards a path of environmentally sustainable development.
4. To respond to the negative impacts of climate change, the Ministry ofEnvironment, other line ministries and civil society stakeholders – with thesupport of UNEP – is currently developing a National Adaptation Program of
Actions (NAPA, 2015). This will form the basis for adapting to the new realities
of climate change impacts.
5. Within the context of these national circumstances, South Sudan’s Intended
Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) are based on a cross-sectoral
consultative process involving multiple stakeholders that was conducted inparallel to the NAPA preparatory work and associated meetings. The INDCs will
also contribute towards the attainment of South Sudan Vision 2040 and theSouth Sudan Development Plan, both of which aim to, amongst other objectives,
ensure that economic development is environmentally sustainable.
National Circumstances
6. South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, is a landlocked country located innorth-eastern Africa, with a total area of 619,745 km2 and a population of
approximately 12,340,000 (2015 estimates). South Sudan is highly vulnerable
to the impacts of climate change. The country’s population is highly dependent
on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture (that is mainly rain-fed) for their
1 | Page	  livelihoods. Moreover, climate change is expected to have impacts on theenergy, tourism, water and health sectors. Climate hazards have caused
considerable losses across the country’s sectors over the years. The mostfrequently occurring climate hazards include droughts and floods, which cause
economic losses to the country. For example, the East African drought of 2011
resulted in famine, loss of life and loss of livelihoods in South Sudan. In addition,
flooding in July–August 2014 resulted in deaths, displacement of over 40,000
people, destruction of property and a widespread malaria epidemic. In
September 2015, flooding displaced 2,000–3,000 households.
7. South Sudan is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to its poor
infrastructure and a range of development challenges resulting from over 50
years of conflict. While the export of oil is the main economic sector accounting
for over 98% of the GDP, 95% of the population depend on climate-sensitive
natural resources, particularly rain-fed, subsistence agriculture and total
dependence on forests as a source of energy (fuel wood and charcoal) and otherenvironmental goods and services.
8. Climate change has impacted these socio-economic activities, particularly as
unpredictable rain patterns, recurrent droughts, flash flooding and excessive
heat have resulted to crop failures causing food insecurity and famine.
9. South Sudan has the among the largest livestock populations in Africa. Climatechange threatens the existence of these livestock as well as the livelihoods ofpastoralist communities due to the loss of pasture lands and reduced access towater resources. This has further resulted in deadly conflicts among the
pastoralist communities that have claimed many lives. The impacts of climatechange thus also cause national security issues.
10. There are limited data on GHG emissions available in South Sudan, due to thehistory of conflict, limited capacity and a lack of financial resources. However,as an under-developed country with limited industrial activities, South Sudan’s
total GHG emissions are estimated to be relatively low. Emissions are mainly
from the land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) and agriculture
sectors. This may be explained by the reliance on wood fuel by an estimated 96%of the population (National Baseline Household Survey, 2009) coupled with theincreasing demand for agricultural land and urban development. In the energy
sector, emissions are mainly from diesel generators. The other significant
emissions are from the transport sector, with the waste and industrial processes
contributing negligible amounts. South Sudan strives to be a newlyindustrialised, middle-income country by 2040. This development trajectory is
expected to result in increased emissions from the energy sector. However,South Sudan intends to develop clean energy whenever possible, with deliberate
efforts by the Government towards enhancing hydroelectric, geothermal, wind,solar and other clean energy development. Climate change impacts continue toslow down the attainment of its national development goals. South Sudan willcontinue making investments with both domestic and international resources toadapt to climate change and realise its abatement potentials.
Scope of Contributions
11. The climate vulnerability of South Sudan’s abundant, unexploited natural
resources makes it pertinent for the country’s INDC to comprise both Mitigation
and Adaptation components, based on its national circumstances and inalignment with decisions 1/CP 19 and 1/CP20.
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  Mitigation
12. As a post-conflict nation and one of the least developed countries, South Sudan
is embarking on a sustainable development path and would like to employ thelatest clean technologies to realize a low carbon, climate-resilient development
outcome.
13. South Sudan commits to undertake a national GHG inventory, as part of it’s
Initial National Communication, in 2016. This will allow a better assessment ofpotential for mitigation and quantify the emission reductions possible throughactions listed here.
14. South Sudan aims to undertake the policies and actions in following sectors:
energy generation and use; Land Use and Land use Change; and Transport, toaddress its future emissions that are likely to result from growth strategies. These
efforts are contingent on availability of technical assistance to develop thenecessary regulations, policies, and standards as well as financial support forinvesting in low carbon options.
	  15. Energy generation and Energy Use:i.
Increase the use of clean and carbon-neutral energy:ii.
Construction of a hydroelectricity plant at the Fulla rapids.
iii.
Increase the use country’s high potential for solar and wind energy tomeet energy demand.
iv.
Increase the efficiency of biomass use (particularly fuel wood andcharcoal) in the traditional energy sector.
v.
Increase efficiency of electricity usage in the formal energy sector
and ensuring the best use of hydropower by careful management of
the water resources.
16. Reforestation and Deforestation:i.
With its abundant natural forests, South Sudan aims to declareapproximately 20% of its natural forests as reserve forests to protect itfrom deforestation.
ii.
It also aims on an ambitious reforestation and afforestation project toplant 20 million trees over a period of ten years (2 million trees ineach of its 10 states) as outlined in the National Environmental
Policy. This will contribute towards restoring watershed and water
catchment areas during the post-2020 period as well as sequestering
carbon and reducing emissions from deforestation and forest
degradation.
17. Transport Sector:i.
Establish emissions standards for vehicles
ii.
Establish exhaust testing centers and cars that fail the tests byemitting fumes above allowable emissions levels will be subjected to
mandatory repairs or scrapped.
iii.
Consider measures to restrict importation of vehicles that do notadhere to allowable emissions levels.
18. To maintain a clean and green environment, South Sudan will encourage
payment for ecosystem services, access to resources and benefit sharing to avoid
depletion of important natural resources. This would contribute towards the
3 | Page	  sustainability and viability of initiatives to reduce emissions from deforestationand forest degradation.
19. Summary information on Mitigation contribution is provided below:
1. Timeframe
2016 – 2030
2. Type of Contribution

Policies and actions in identified sectors of
economy. The mitigation contribution iscontingent upon availability of international
support for means of implementation.

3. GHG reductions

In absence of detailed analysis the assessment of
BAU emissions and impacts of identified policies
and actions of GHG emissions reductions below
shall be presented at a later date.

4. Sectors

Energy generation and energy end use;
Transport; and Land Use and Land Use Change

5. Gases

CO2

Adaptation
20. With the effects of climate change already being felt in South Sudan in the formof erratic and reduced rainfall periods and consequent increased frequency ofdroughts and floods, the country is currently in an advanced stage of developing
its National Adaptation Plan of Action. The NAPA document will be launched on
12 November 2015. The NAPA and the INDC will form the basis of South
Sudan’s adaptation strategy.
21. A sectoral approach has been adopted in this INDC, though in South Sudan, thetechnical assessments on vulnerabilities, hazards, and priority sectors is limited.
Priority actions are based on observed adverse effects of climate change on the
sectors. Further assessments into specific actions and needs is required. INDC
includes priority actions in the following sectors:

Agriculture and livestock
22. Agriculture and livestock are the main livelihood of the majority of the
population. South Sudan will thus embark on promoting sustainable, climatesmart agriculture and livestock production and management. The country willprioritise the enhancement of climate resilience in the agricultural sector (cropproduction, livestock, fisheries) through the promotion of climate-smart
agriculture, livestock improvement, enhancement of fisheries productivity andsoil erosion control. This will be achieved by building upon traditional
knowledge and supporting community- based adaptation strategies.
23. Given the frequent droughts experienced in the country, a major priority is
promoting the harvesting and retention of water for different uses. This will be
implemented through community-based watershed management with a focus
on maintaining the quality and quantity of water resources for multiple uses andstakeholders.

Health:	  4 | Page	  24. To accurately identify climate change impacts in the health sector, South Sudan
will conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments concerning human healthand well-being under current and future climate scenarios. This will inform
actions to improve early warning systems for climate-related disease outbreaks(e.g. malaria) and establishing contingency plans to develop climate changeresilient health systems. Public health systems will be strengthened by building
hospitals (including regional referral hospitals) and supplying them withmedicine, equipment and personnel trained on treating climate-related diseases.

Adapting Vulnerable Communities to Climate Change
25. Poverty is a determining factor of climate change vulnerability in South Sudan.
Poverty is widespread, particularly in the rural areas – which are home to morethan 6.9 million people. Approximately 51% of South Sudan’s population lives
below the national consumption poverty line. People living in poverty do nothave the financial capacity to cope with climate change. Furthermore, thesepeople are often compelled to live in high-risk areas that are prone to floods anddroughts. This also has to take into account gender equality and human rights.
26. Actions to reduce vulnerability of the population to climate induced hazards are
the following:i. Enhance access to water in light of growing climate threats throughintegrated watershed management, wetland management and improved
waste management.
ii. Enhance food security under a changing climate through theintroduction of climate-smart agricultural techniques and irrigatedagriculture.
iii. Ensure capacity building and participation of the society, local
communities, indigenous peoples, women, men, youth, civilorganizations and private sector in national and subnational climatechange planning.
iv. Establish/rehabilitate the hydro-meteorological monitoring network tocollect climatic information and provide flood and drought early
warning.
v. Strengthen the adaptive capacity of the population through transparent
and inclusive mechanisms of social participation in the implementationof adaptation interventions, designed with a gender and human rights
approach.
vi. Reduce vulnerability of population by integrating climate change
considerations into land use planning.
vii. Increase investments in disaster prevention mechanisms, such as early
warning systems, rather than disaster response mechanisms.
viii. Improve environmental health-related infrastructure to reduce thespread of water-borne diseases which will be exacerbated by climatechange.
ix. Create buffer zones and relocate vulnerable communities away fromflood-prone areas.

Forests, Biodiversity and Ecosystems
27. In South Sudan, there is a large diversity of ecosystems that provide society witha wide range of environmental services such as carbon sequestration, provisionand maintenance of water resources, flood mitigation, provision of food and
NTFPs, and the formation and maintenance of soils. These ecosystem services areseriously threatened by human activities and by the effects of climate change.
5 | Page	  28. South Sudan is home to the largest designated Ramsar wetland of environmental
importance, the Sudd, which is pivotal in regulating the weather patterns in the
Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the greater East Africa region. The Sudd acts as abarrier to the southward encroachment of the Sahara desert and its preservationand management is consequently expected to be South Sudan’s most significant
contribution toward buffering against the impacts of climate change at theregional level.
29. Ecosystem-based adaptation consists of the conservation of biodiversity andecosystem services as part of an integrated adaptation strategy to assist humancommunities to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.
30. Given the reliance of the majority of the population on forest resources,
adaptation priorities in this sector include supporting forest governance,
reducing over reliance on forest products by providing alternative incomegenerating activities and encouraging planting of climate-resilient tree species.
This will be further supported by the development of mechanisms to ensure
equitable sharing of benefits accrued from the forest resources.
31. Actions for the sector:i.
Promote agro-forestry practices as a way of diversifying land production
systems and promoting alternative livelihood options.
ii. Promote afforestation of degraded landscapes/watersheds using multiuse forest species to increase community safety-nets and diversify
livelihoods.
iii. Develop forest reserves and management plans to protect watersheds andimprove future water availability.
iv. Promote alternative sources of energy to reduce deforestation and theconsequent loss of livelihood options.
v. Improve the enforcement of environmental regulations.
vi. Establish conservancies and protected areas to buffer local communities
and biodiversity against climate change impacts.
vii. Establish water points for wildlife in protected areas to reduce thenegative effects of droughts on animal populations.
viii. Increase awareness of local communities on climate change andenvironmental protection.
ix. Introduce fire management plans to prevent the spread of wildfires
during periods of drought.
x. Introduce an integrated natural resource management approach.
	
  Infrastructure
32. Strategic infrastructure – including communications, transport, tourism, energy,
sanitation, water and waste management – is vulnerable to the effects of climatechange. Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate climate change criteria as partof its design, construction and throughout its useful life span, in order to reduce
its vulnerability and increase its resilience.
33. To	
   address	
   potential	
   impacts	
   related	
   to	
   damages	
   to	
   infrastructure,	
   South	  Sudan	
   will	   invest	
   in	
   making	
   existing	
   and	   new	
   buildings	
   more	
   climate	  resilient.	
  This	
  will	  be	
  achieved	  through	
  inter	  alia	  ensuring	
  that	  land-­‐use	
  plans	  and	
   building	
   codes	   reflect	
   the	   expected	
   impacts	   of	
   climate	
   change	
   and	   the	
  
need	
  to	
  make	  public	
  and	
  private	
  buildings	
  more	  climate-­‐resilient.	
  34. Actions for infrastructure:
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i.
ii.
iii.

Improve urban and industrial waste water treatment, ensuring quantityand good quality of water in human settlements.
Incorporate adaptation criteria for public investment projects,
particularly those to be carried out under the Comprehensive Agriculture
Development Plan and the Irrigation Development Master Plan.
Ensure that land-use plans and building codes reflect the expected
impacts of climate change.

Institutional and policy actions
35. At the institutional and policy level, there is a need to coordinate climate change
actions and mainstream climate change concerns into all sectors throughcapacity building and the development of policies, strategies and action plans toadapt to climate change.
36. To support decision-making for climate change adaptation, South Sudan will
implement actions to assemble, analyze, predict and disseminate climate
information through improve climate monitoring and data management
systems. Based on this, the relevant data and information will be used to develop
early warning systems and inform appropriate responses to extreme climatic
events.
Capacity Building and Transfer of Technology
37. South Sudan will encourage innovations in technologies which are appropriate
to climate change at all levels and the inclusion of climate change issues in thenational curriculum. This will be complemented by the development of climatechange awareness programmes for dissemination to the wider public.
38. The Government of South Sudan has identified a number of areas where
technology transfer could be of benefit of the country for mitigation andadaptation, including through:i. Renewable energy technologies.
ii. Access to climate information systems in order to monitor hydrometeorological events in real time and establish early warning systems.
iii. Water technologies for water savings, recycling, harvesting, irrigationand sustainable management for agricultural purposes.
iv. Availability of methods and tools to assess climate impacts, vulnerability
and adaptation in specific sectors and regions.
v. Transportation technologies that are resilient to the adverse effects ofclimate change in particular for roads and large-scale transportation of
goods. Technologies for the protection of infrastructure, particularly
infrastructure in flood-prone areas.
39. Capacity building of this nature would require cooperation between developed
countries and developing countries as well as south-south cooperation. This
international support would facilitate the development of South Sudan’s own
technologies as well as enable technology transfer and innovation to increase
adaptive capacity within the country.
40. Capacity-building priorities relate largely to planning and implementation ofclimate change actions at all levels, i.e. national, state and local/community.
This needs to involve inter alia government officials, private sector agents, civilsociety, NGOs and local communities. Capacity needs across all levels include:
7 | Page
	
  

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.

Conducting vulnerability assessments and identifying climate risks
and adaptation options.
Mainstreaming climate change into policies, strategies and actionplans.
Developing and implementing community-based adaptation plans.
Enhancing cross-sectoral and inter-ministerial coordination ofclimate change actions.
Sharing of best practices and lessons learned to inform the selectionof adaptation interventions to address specific climate threats.
Conducting cost-benefit analyses of adaptation options to prioritise
implementation of interventions.
Collecting, analyzing and applying hydro-meteorological and climate
data for decision-making and dissemination of early warnings.

Summary of Needs
41. As a post-conflict country, it is imperative for South Sudan to ensure sustainable
and climate-resilient development across all sectors. South Sudan is one of theleast developed countries of the world and the development policies have to go
hand in hand with the climate change initiatives for a more resilient population.
Therefore, it is imperative to consolidate platforms for the exchange ofknowledge and information related to mitigation and adaptation, as well as tostrengthen networks with academic institutions and civil society. Furthermore, it
is fundamental to incorporate a gender and human rights approach into
capacity building, prioritizing the most vulnerable groups in order to reducesocial inequality. Within the context of the current economic circumstances, lowlevels of capacity and limited availability of climate technologies, South Sudan
will only be able to embark on achieving its INDCs with the financial, capacity
building and technical support from the international community in its efforts at
all levels. The implementation of the above mentioned mitigation and adaptation
actions for the period 2016 – 2030 requires the continuous development andstrengthening of South Sudan’s capacities.
42. Regarding climate finance, South Sudan has yet to access the same level offinancial resources as other least developed countries owing to its recent
existence. It is therefore of utmost importance that South Sudan is extended theopportunity to obtain support from the international donor community andother sources of climate finance to design and implement initiatives aimed ataddressing the mitigation and adaptation priorities outlined here within the
country’s INDCs. South Sudan has begun the process of unlocking access toclimate finance through the initiation of the NAPA process that is due toconclude in November 2015. South Sudan also aims to access finance throughinternational carbon markets, and will pursue CDM and REDD+ activities,
including the establishment is a Designated National Authority. Subsequent tothis, it will require concerted and coordinated effort between the Government ofSouth Sudan and their international development partners to accelerate theprocess of designing and implementing climate change projects to address both
immediate and urgent priorities as well as medium- and long-term climatechange risks.
43. It is estimated that investment of over USD 50 billion is required for mitigation
and adaptation actions across sectors up to 2030. These are approximate
estimates and further analysis is planned to identify support requirements for
implementing the policies and actions listed above.
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  Implementation arrangements, including monitoring and reporting
progress
44. Planning Processes: The INDC was developed through a consultative process.
Stakeholders from various institutions, including line ministries, NGOs,
academia and civil society, attended a series of national workshops in Juba to
discuss and develop the INDC. The process was led by the Ministry ofEnvironment.
45. Institutional Arrangements: The INDC was endorsed by the Minister ofEnvironment and various stakeholders at a validation workshop in Juba. The
Ministry of Environment will lead the implementation of the INDC. Crosssectoral contributions will be discussed and implemented through the National
Council of Ministers.
46. Monitoring and reporting: South Sudan, through the Ministry of Environment,
has the full responsibility to monitor and evaluate the implementation of INDCs
through regular stakeholder consultative engagement. This will ensure theeffective updating and implementation of both mitigation and adaption plans.

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