Triple Planetary Crisis Threatens Eastern Africa’s Food Security, Ministry Warns

Addis Ababa, March 2, 2026 (ENA) – The Ministry of Planning and Development has announced that the triple planetary crisis, comprising climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, is severely threatening food security across Eastern Africa.

State Minister of Planning and Development Seyoum Mekonnen emphasized that the convergence of these three issues is eroding decades of hard-won economic development.

Speaking today at the opening of a four-day Global Environment Facility (GEF) Expanded Constituency Workshop in Addis Ababa, the state minister stressed that environmental protection can no longer be treated as a secondary agenda.

“Environmental protection is no longer a distant agenda but the frontline of our survival and the foundation of our future prosperity,” he said.

He noted that Eastern Africa is grappling with erratic weather patterns, prolonged droughts and accelerating ecosystem degradation.

These pressures, he said, are displacing communities, straining livelihoods and placing mounting burdens on national economies.

Seyoum underlined Ethiopia’s commitment to aligning climate action with sustainable development.

He cited flagship initiatives including the Green Legacy Initiative, which he said has planted more than 48 billion seedlings over the past seven years, and major renewable energy investments such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

He also highlighted large scale urban corridor development programs, sustainable food system reforms under the YeLemat Tirufat initiative and Ethiopia’s decision to ban the import of fossil fuel-based passenger vehicles to accelerate the transition to electric mobility.

Recalling that Addis Ababa hosted the Second Africa Climate Summit in September 2025, the state minister said the gathering adopted the Addis Ababa Declaration and marked what he described as a turning point in Africa’s climate narrative.

“It signaled a shift from victimhood to solution driven leadership,” he said.

He added that Ethiopia’s selection to host COP32 in November 2027 reflects the country’s expanding role in global climate leadership.

Despite these efforts, Seyoum cautioned that global climate and environmental finance remain far below what is required.

While acknowledging the central role of the Global Environment Facility, he called for faster approval processes and increased financial flows to developing countries, particularly in Africa.

“For Eastern Africa, GEF financing must unlock transformative change,” he said, urging participants to enhance access to funding, prioritize country driven and results oriented projects and strengthen regional partnerships to confront the triple planetary crisis.

GEF Africa Coordinator Jonky Tenou, on his part, said Eastern Africa, though rich in environmental assets and resilience, faces interconnected challenges including climate variability, biodiversity loss, land degradation and pollution, many of which cross national borders.

According to Tenou, the workshop aims to enable Eastern African countries to engage more effectively, coherently and strategically within the GEF partnership framework to address shared environmental threats.

Two major climate financing mechanisms are currently supporting African countries, including Ethiopia, in tackling climate change through adaptation efforts and low carbon development initiatives, he noted.

According to him, one financing window is specifically dedicated to climate adaptation, with a strong focus on least developed countries, while a separate trust fund assists nations in shifting their economies toward low emission growth.

Together, the two mechanisms constitute the central pillar of climate finance support across the continent, he noted.

He also highlighted Ethiopia as one of the countries demonstrating notable progress in effectively utilizing these resources.

The projects underway are advancing steadily and reflect strong coordination between the government and international implementing partners in driving adaptation measures and low emission development objectives, he added.