Climate Risk Management in Finnish Development Cooperation - Gaia

For example in the Lake Tana sub-basin there are a number of issues contributing to emerging
conflicts over resource uses and threats to the Lake Tana ecosystem. These include 90 :
• Lake regulation;
• Growing population and livestock pressures on land, and serious land degradation;
• Increasing demand for energy;
• Uncoordinated water resources development, an inadequate policy framework,
• Inadequate scientific and socio-economic information and knowledge on limnology, lack of a
clear institutional responsibility for the management of Lake Tana; fisheries, wetlands, and
other biological resources; and
• Absence of a regulatory framework for allocating water, controlling pollution, managing
watersheds, regulating fisheries, and protecting forests and wetlands.
There are also major human factors at play in the Boma area. The food security status of the
populations in this area has deteriorated, partially due to drought and this has led to conflicts. The
populations in this area are also overly-dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods. The
unsustainable exploitation of wildlife and other natural resources are a direct threat to the
traditional livelihoods of local people and sustainable development. 91
Potential implications to Finland
In June 2000, after two years of fighting in a border dispute, Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a cessation
of hostilities agreement. In July, the Security Council set up United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and
Eritrea (UNMEE) to maintain liaison with the parties and establish a mechanism for verifying the
ceasefire. In September 2000, the Council authorized UNMEE to monitor the cessation of hostilities
and to help ensure the observance of security commitments. With the decision of the Security
Council, the UNMEE mandate was terminated in July 2008. The Council decision came in response to
crippling restrictions imposed by Eritrea on UNMEE, as well as the cutting off of fuel supplies –
making it impossible for the operation to continue carrying out its mandated tasks, and putting at
risk the safety and security of UN personnel. 92
Finland participated in UNMEE from the beginning by providing military observers. A Finnish officer
also commanded a contact office between UNMEE and Ethiopian officials in Addis Ababa. As
mentioned in previous chapter, climate change may intensify existing disputes and create new
conflicts, which could increase the need of Finnish peacekeepers and observers in the future. 93
While the direct security implications for Finland may be considered minimal, Finland should
carefully take note of the multiple causes behind conflicts, including environmental concerns, and
work actively to reduce the vulnerability of Ethiopian society to climate change. In addition, cross-
90 World Bank (2008: 27-28)
91 Crick (2006: 57)
92 http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html
93 http://www.mil.fi/rauhanturvaaja/operaatiot/etiopia.dsp
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