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Environment & Sustainability Guide

Air quality, green spaces, and environmental policies in Sudan

Sudan faces severe environmental challenges driven by climate change, conflict, and unsustainable land use. The country experiences rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, desertification, and water scarcity, with climate impacts projected to reduce GDP per capita by 5-7.3% by 2050. Sudan has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 38% in energy, 45% in forestry, and 20% in waste sectors by 2030, requiring $8.24 billion in international support.

Air Quality Index

Poor

4.5/10

Worsening trend

Sudan's air quality is significantly impacted by deforestation, conflict-related fires, and dust from desertification. A major fire on January 23, 2025 produced smoke stretching over 300 km, darkening skies over Khartoum. Industrial pollution from damaged infrastructure during the conflict contributes to air quality degradation, particularly in urban areas.

Water Quality

Poor

3.5/10

Sudan faces critical water scarcity and quality challenges. Droughts have become more frequent and intense, limiting access to clean drinking water and increasing waterborne diseases. Water security is threatened by climate change, with reduced rainfall and groundwater availability affecting a population highly dependent on agriculture and pastoralism.

Water access is severely constrained by drought and conflict. The country lacks adequate water treatment infrastructure in many regions, leading to health risks from contaminated water sources.

Recycling System

Sudan lacks comprehensive recycling infrastructure and formal waste management systems. The conflict has further deteriorated waste management capacity, with increased pressures on solid waste dumping in protected areas and urban centers. No systematic recycling programs are documented.

Green Spaces

Sudan's forest coverage is declining due to deforestation for fuelwood, charcoal production, and agricultural expansion. Between April 2023 and January 2024, conflict-related factors contributed to the loss of at least 6,126 hectares of natural vegetation in one state alone. Protected areas exist but face threats from military occupation, pollution, and unsustainable resource extraction.

Sunut Forest and other bird sanctuaries face pollution risks from damaged industrial infrastructure and potential solid waste dumping. Comprehensive environmental assessments are needed to evaluate long-term protection strategies.

Environmental Policies

Sudan has committed to ambitious climate targets through its revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC, 2021). The country aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across multiple sectors and increase renewable energy capacity. However, implementation is constrained by conflict, weak governance, and limited financial resources.

Key Policies:

•NDC 2021 with 38% energy sector emissions reduction target
•45% forestry sector emissions reduction commitment
•20% waste sector emissions reduction target
•Renewable energy expansion and fossil fuel reduction
•Climate-smart agriculture and efficient irrigation systems

Renewable Energy: Sudan plans to scale up renewable energy-powered irrigation systems and increase renewable energy capacity as part of its adaptation strategy, though specific MW targets are not detailed in current NDC documents.

Natural Disaster Risk

HIGH

Sudan faces multiple overlapping natural disaster risks including droughts, floods, desertification, and extreme weather events. In 2024, heavy rains impacted 15 states, causing the collapse of the Arba'at Dam near Port Sudan. The ongoing conflict compounds disaster vulnerability by disrupting early warning systems and emergency response capacity.

Prolonged droughtsFlooding and extreme rainfallDesertificationHeat wavesDam failures

Climate Change Impacts: Sudan experiences rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall patterns. Climate change poses significant risks to water security and agricultural productivity, with projections indicating potential GDP per capita reduction of 5-6% without adaptation, and up to 7.3% by 2050 in worst-case scenarios. Desertification is expanding, swallowing arable land and displacing communities. Deforestation, driven by agriculture and land-use changes, reduces the land's carbon absorption capacity. The country's low greenhouse gas emissions are expected to rise primarily from agriculture and deforestation. Drought frequency and intensity are increasing, limiting access to clean water and exacerbating food insecurity. These environmental changes affect regional weather patterns, potentially influencing rainfall and temperatures in neighboring countries.

Sustainability Initiatives

Renewable Energy Expansion

Sudan's NDC commits to scaling up renewable energy-powered irrigation systems to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and improve agricultural resilience. The country aims to increase renewable energy capacity as part of its mitigation and adaptation strategy, requiring $8.24 billion in international financial support over the next decade.

Forestry Sector Emissions Reduction

Sudan committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the forestry sector by 45% (13.4 Mt CO2e) by 2030 compared to business-as-usual scenarios. This targets deforestation reduction and sustainable forest management, critical for both climate mitigation and ecosystem protection.

Climate-Smart Agriculture

Sudan's NDC identifies agriculture as a key adaptation priority and proposes scaling up more efficient irrigation systems powered by renewable energy. This initiative aims to improve agricultural productivity while reducing water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in a sector critical to food security.

Waste Sector Emissions Reduction

Sudan committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the waste sector by 20% (1.3 Mt CO2e) by 2030. This addresses pollution from damaged industrial infrastructure and aims to improve waste management systems, though implementation faces challenges from ongoing conflict.

Wildlife & Nature

African ElephantVulnerable

Nile CrocodileCommon

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