Minister of Environment and Forestry Josephine Napwon speaks during the launch of Juba Urban Roads network. (CES/Facebook).

The Minister of Environment Josephine Napwon has highlighted the impact of climate crisis in South Sudan where she said five years of catastrophic floods and dry spells have gutted livelihoods and left millions languishing in poverty.

According to the 2023 INFORM Risk Index, South Sudan is ranked as the second most vulnerable country globally to the impacts of natural hazards, including droughts and flooding, and among the top five countries most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.

Speaking in a preparatory meeting for the Cop29 climate conference to be held this month in Baku, Azerbaijan, Minister Napwon pointed out that her country is at the frontline of the climate disaster.

She stressed prolonged seasonal floods, excessive heatwaves and droughts that have since killed livestock and led to crops failure.

“The Climate Crisis has worsened since 2019, with severe flooding that led to internal displacement and loss of livelihoods,” she told the meeting of experts and diplomats in Juba.

“This year, the same states are currently being flooded and over 1 million people are reported to have been affected and are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.”

“Besides the flooding, droughts, excessive heat wave and haphazard rain patterns have resulted in crops failure thus impacting the livelihoods of our people especially in Eastern Equatoria and the northern parts of the country.”

The environment minister noted that 60 percent of South Sudan’s population lives in extreme poverty and appeals for urgent lifesaving interventions.

“Lifesaving interventions are needed urgently, hence the prospect of climate-induced displacement and climate ravages will become a new normal.”

On her part, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Sheila Ngatia said the upcoming UN Climate Change conference presents a platform for frontline countries to be heard.

Ms. Ngatia believes that commitment to climate action is not only a responsibility but an opportunity to build sustainable future for communities.

“The upcoming COP29 presents an unprecedented opportunity to amplify our voices and to showcase our commitment to climate action,” she said.

“We recognize that our commitment to climate action is not just a responsibility, it is an opportunity to build a sustainable future for our communities especially rural communities which are at the forefront of facing the brunt of the impact of climate change.”

On his part, EU Ambassador to South Sudan Timo Olkkonen underscored that international actors grappling with other crisis facing the country should not overlook the climate issue.

Ambassador Olkkonen stated that time has come for the world to take action and mitigate the most important challenge facing mankind, otherwise, the future generation will bear the brunt of today’s inaction.

“With all the challenges facing South Sudan, it is not obvious that climate change would be at the forefront and as a priority for the country. Indeed globally, with all the crisis that are happening in the world, there is a danger that the issue of climate change will slip from the priority agenda.”

“And if this happens, then I am afraid the future generation will not look kindly at us if we indeed fail to use the opportunities still available to tackle the most important challenge facing humankind today.”

Since May 2024, floods have affected more than 1.4 million people across South Sudan, with livelihoods including farmlands and livestock wiped out, and hundreds of thousands forced from their homes, according to the UN humanitarian agency.