Environment in Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s environmental conditions have two connected sides. The natural side includes the Highlands, Rift Valley, Southwestern Lowlands and Eastern Arid Areas, with elevations from about 116 metres below sea level to 4,620 metres above sea level. Wildlife protection involves federal authorities, regional governments, park offices and community participation. The practical arrangement therefore differs between protected natural areas, regional landscapes and places where communities use land and water directly. The everyday side concerns the surroundings where people live and work. Housing areas, basic infrastructure, air and water quality, green space, environmental noise and physical safety all affect those surroundings. Access to services and their quality can differ substantially between cities, areas at the edge of cities and rural communities. No single national authority manages every environmental matter in Ethiopia. Responsibility is distributed among federal institutions, regional governments, city administrations and woreda offices; a woreda is a local district administration. The responsible body depends on the issue and its location. Nature conservation may involve a park office and community structures, while local surroundings may require contact with a city or woreda authority. Environmental questions are therefore best assessed by separating the natural feature or risk from the everyday service or condition involved.