Climate Action in Ura Settlement
Climate Action in Ura Settlement
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What is the vision for climate action in the Ura Settlement?
Refugees and host communities are knowledgeable and sensitive to climate action, including renewable energy technologies, environmental conservation and sustainable practices. Women and youth are actively involved in energy and environmental decision-making processes.
Alternative energy sources are available to both refugee and host community households to reduce the reliance of households on fuelwood and charcoal. If the Ura settlement hosts a maximum capacity of 34,000 refugees, an estimated 6,800 households require access to energy-efficient appliances. Alternative energy sources can also be found from biomass, including but not limited to bio-fuel from animal waste and briquettes.
The Ura settlement is connected to the national electricity grid and/or solar mini grids to ensure both refugee and host communities have access to a stable and reliable supply of electricity. Households, schools, health centers, and communal facilities all transition to green sourced electricity.
Refugees and their hosting communities have access to modern household and street lighting sourced from solar power and grid electricity.
Forest resources around the Ura settlement are sustainably managed to prevent deforestation and land degradation. A Forest Landscape Management Plan (FLMP), developed with local authorities and communities, will estimate the demand for wood products from both the refugee settlement and the host community, assess the forest's current state, and define sustainable wood harvesting levels, while implementing activities like reforestation.
The Assosa Town Water Supply and Sewage Enterprise and Ura woreda authorities manage a waste management system for Ura settlement that includes waste segregation, composting, and the establishment of a sanitary landfill to ensure safe and sustainable waste disposal.
Refugees settled in Ura site are successfully included in the National and Regional Adaptation Plans and Early Warning Systems to increase climate resilience and adaptability.
What is the enabling policy environment?
The Government of Ethiopia is committed to creating climate-resilient and sustainable settlements hosting refugees and host communities, in line with its GRF pledge on settlements and its climate action pledge to address the environmental impact resulting from hosting large number of refugees.
UNHCR and the Government of Ethiopia are developing a Makatet “inclusion” strategy with environmental sustainability and climate resilience as one of the priority areas.
The Government is calling for the use of diversified energy options to minimize power generation uncertainty. Both grid and off-grid energy access is part of the diversification. The Government is working to increase its power generation installed capacity from 4.5GW to 19GW in 2030 through diversifying the renewable energy mix, with wind, solar, geothermal and building of hydropower dams.
The Government of Ethiopia launched in 2023 the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) to provide loans and technical assistance for rural electrification; micro hydro schemes; off grid system. The Ura settlement could benefit from future REF programs.
What are the priority investments?
1. Provide of 7,400 improved cookstoves to refugee and host community households (1 cookstove per household of up to 8 people) to increase efficiency, as well as explore alternative fuels such as bamboo or agricultural residues available in the vicinity. In the longer term, provide clean cooking options such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or electric cooking powered by renewable energy sources.
2. Establish a nursery site at Ura settlement to allow for fast-growing tree plantations for a renewable wood supply, in line with the Forest Landscape Management Plan. Cooperatives for managing energy systems and conservation programs are established and include both refugee and host communities.
3. Connect Ura settlement to the national grid while enhancing the existing electrical infrastructure to minimize outages and ensure a more reliable supply. Once the grid connection is available through the different zones and blocks, a communal kitchen hall should be established for households to make use of the center for their daily power needs.
4. Establish mini grids powered by renewable energy sources, such as solar, to provide a stable energy supply. These mini grids can be interconnected with the national grid, strengthening the overall system and providing backup during grid interruptions.
5. Connect all schools and health centres to quality solar systems.
6. Establish solar streetlights within the Ura settlement, which improve security and reduce GBV cases.
7. Install Solar Home Systems (SHS) to all refugee households.
8. Establish a waste management system that includes a landfill.
9. Create a reafforestation program to cover the exposed land use in the Ura watershed catchment, in line with the Forest Landscape Management Plan.
10. Establish disaster preparedness groups involving refugee and host communities and practice required anticipatory actions.
How will progress be measured?
- # of alternative energy sources developed
- # of households using improved cookstoves and/or alternative energy sources
- # of women using the communal kitchens
- # of households having access to a stable supply of electricity from the national grid or mini grids,
- # of schools, health centers, and communal facilities have access to stable supply of electricity
- % of camp settlement areas illuminated by solar street lighting
- Proportion of refugee households that have clean cooking solutions and technologies
- # of refugee households that have access to modern household lighting
- # refugees included in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP)
- # of multipurpose tree seedlings planted
- # of hectares of land rehabilitated
- # of hectares of woodlot developed for household energy and shelter construction
- Availability of a functioning landfill
Regional Water and Energy Bureau and the Bureau of Agriculture and Environment include Ura settlement in its plans and budgets.
What are the current investments in the environment and energy sectors in the Ura woreda?
EU-INTPA has provided funding to connect the Ura settlement’s water pumping stations to the national grid. Efforts are underway with the Ethiopian Electricity Utility to install two transformers to connect the host community and settlement water systems to ensure an easy pumping of water. EU-INTPA has also provided funding to replace the diesel generator that the water provision system in the Ura settlement relies on with a more sustainable solar PV pumping system. This transition aims to reduce operational costs and the settlement's carbon footprint.
What are the main environmental challenges faced by the Ura settlement?
Challenges include deforestation, soil erosion, water resource management, and waste management. The settlement's reliance on fuelwood contributes to deforestation, while soil erosion is prevalent near the settlement. Water resources are under pressure from overexploitation and contamination, and there is a lack of formal waste management systems.
What are the energy needs and primary sources of energy currently used in the Ura settlement and the local community?
The primary sources of energy for cooking for host community and refugees are fuelwood and charcoal. The reliance on fuelwood contributes to deforestation, environmental degradation, and increased carbon emissions. It places a significant burden on women and children, who are responsible for collecting wood, exposing them to safety risks and reducing their time for other activities. Over time, the increased demand for fuelwood by refugees can lead to competition with the host community for limited forest resources, thereby straining relations and possibly leading to conflict.
Deforestation, driven by the need for fuelwood, removes trees and vegetation that protect the soil from erosion. Without this natural cover, the soil becomes more vulnerable to erosion by wind and water. This soil erosion, driven by seasonal floods and winds, poses a significant challenge, affecting soil fertility for agricultural productivity and destabilizing the soil structure. This cycle of deforestation and soil degradation can lead to further environmental and economic challenges. Strategies to combat soil erosion include improved soil management practices, such as reforestation, erosion control measures, and integrating sustainable land management practices into settlement planning.
Introducing renewable energy solutions will provide a consistent and sustainable energy supply, reduce environmental degradation, and improve the quality of life for residents. It will enhance energy security, reduce the risk of gender-based violence, and support the integration of refugees with the host community by promoting eco-friendly development.
How can the electricity needs of the Ura settlement be sustainably managed to support both refugee and host communities?
Ura town is connected to the national grid. However, due to frequent power interruptions, the residents heavily rely on small diesel generators for home and commercial purposes. Ura settlement is not yet connected to the national grid, yet plans are underway to facilitate such connection in 2025.
Electricity needs at the household level in the Ura settlement and host community include lighting, heating, water pumping, and productive uses such as powering small businesses, workshops, and agricultural processing equipment. Community infrastructure such as schools, health centers, water provision etc., needs also to be accounted for.
Improved access to reliable electricity in the Ura settlement and host community can create various economic opportunities, including the establishment of small-scale enterprises, and agricultural processing units. Reliable electricity can power businesses such as cafes, mobile shops, and butchers, enabling refugees and host community members to generate income and support their families. Additionally, electricity can facilitate the use of modern agricultural equipment, enhancing productivity and efficiency in farming activities. These economic opportunities not only provide livelihoods for refugees and the host community but also contribute to the local economy, fostering social cohesion and mutual benefit. By supporting economic development, reliable electricity helps build a more resilient and self-reliant community.
What role does land use planning play in the sustainable development of the Ura settlement?
Land use planning by the Regional Urban Bureau is crucial for balancing the immediate needs of refugees with the long-term goals of the host community. It involves the strategic allocation of land for residential, agricultural, and conservation purposes, ensuring that development is sustainable and minimizes environmental impact. Proper planning helps in managing resources efficiently and promoting harmonious coexistence between refugees and the host community. FAO and UNHCR will work with local government authorities and communities to develop a Forest Landscape Management Plan (FLMP) to address potential issues of deforestation and land degradation, laying the groundwork for long-term environmental solutions.
How are waste management practices implemented in the Ura settlement to protect the environment?
Waste management practices due to the emergency in the Ura settlement include the excavation of solid waste pits for household waste, which are incinerated when filled. However, there is a need for a comprehensive waste management plan, including waste segregation, transportation, composting, and the establishment of a sanitary landfill to ensure safe and sustainable waste disposal. In the future, when a woreda development plan is prepared and approved, a distant land from the settlement will be available for landfill construction for proper liquid and solid waste management. The service can be integrated with the water supply and sewerage enterprise; an institution established by the regional law to render the services for the region.