South Sudan has a diverse array of ecosystems, rich biodiversity in both flora and fauna, and an abundance of natural resources, including large areas of natural forests, considerable water sources and deposits of petroleum, gold and other minerals. The majority of the population in South Sudan are dependent on natural resources for subsistence livelihoods, particularly poorer and more vulnerable communities in rural areas. A combination of a shift to over-use of natural resources due to increasing pressures on communities, a lack of a serious commitment by the national government to environmental sustainability and unbridled resource exploitation by the private sector are all contributing to environmental degradation, accelerating the depletion of the very resources on which communities depend and enhancing their vulnerability to economic and climatic shocks.
This analysis draws out some of the complex ways in which environmental degradation, climate change and conflict intersect in South Sudan, and draws out recommendations to provide guidance to aid actors on conflict-sensitive engagement. The research was conducted by Bodhi Global Analysis in collaboration with Conflict Sensitivity Resource Facility (CSRF) colleagues, between January and April 2024.