A Short Report on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in South Sudan: Gendered Vulnerabilities and Socioeconomic Dimensions in Selected Regions (2021–2026)

This short report investigates the gendered socioeconomic vulnerabilities to climate change in South Sudan, focusing on the nexus between energy access, livelihoods, and women’s wellbeing from 2021 to 2026. It addresses a critical research gap by examining how climate-induced disruptions in the energy sector disproportionately affect women’s welfare and economic agency. The methodology employs a qualitative, multi-sited approach, synthesising field observations and semi-structured interviews with key informants across Juba, Western Equatoria, Jonglei, and Eastern Equatoria, alongside analysis of recent environmental data. Findings demonstrate that increased flooding and erratic rainfall have severely compromised subsistence agriculture and the availability of traditional biomass, the primary energy source. This directly intensifies women’s domestic labour burdens, reduces their time for income generation, and exacerbates health risks from prolonged exposure to household air pollution. Critically, the analysis reveals how these climate impacts are mediated and intensified by pre-existing political fragility and entrenched gender inequalities, which collectively constrain adaptive capacity. The significance of this work lies in its contextualised linkage of environmental stress to specific gendered socioeconomic outcomes within a fragile state. It concludes by underscoring the urgent need for national climate adaptation policies to integrate gender-responsive energy solutions, such as improved cookstoves and sustainable fuel alternatives, to enhance resilience, protect health, and secure livelihoods.