November 02,2026 Climate change is not only an environmental challenge. In Ethiopia, it is also a social protection, public health, livelihood, displacement, child protection, gender equality, disability inclusion, and human-rights issue.Droughts, floods, changing disease patterns, food and water insecurity, damaged infrastructure, livelihood losses, and climate-related displacement are affecting individuals, families, and communities across the country. These impacts are often greatest for children, women, older persons, persons with disabilities, displaced people, pastoralist and farming communities, and households living in poverty. Social workers have a vital role in responding to these interconnected challenges. Through direct practice, community engagement, psychosocial support, case management, protection, research, public education, and policy advocacy, social workers can help ensure that climate action reaches people fairly and protects human dignity.Climate-informed social work means:- Integrating climate and environmental risks into social-work assessment and case planning;- Strengthening preparedness, early action, referral, and community-based protection;- Supporting children, families, displaced people, and other vulnerable groups affected by climate shocks;- Promoting locally led adaptation and meaningful participation of communities;- Linking climate action with social protection, health, education, livelihoods, and psychosocial wellbeing;- Documenting community evidence and bringing it into policy and planning processes; and- Advocating for equitable, accountable, and rights-based climate implementation.The Ethiopian Social Work Professional Association (ESWPA) can help advance this agenda by: 1.Promoting climate-informed competencies in social-work education and continuing professional development; 2.Advocating for the inclusion of social workers in climate, disaster-risk reduction, health, social-protection, and development planning; 3.Developing practice standards and tools for climate-sensitive case management and community engagement;4.Supporting research and evidence generation on climate impacts, social vulnerability, protection, displacement, and psychosocial wellbeing; 5.Building partnerships among government institutions, universities, civil-society organizations, communities, development partners, and professional bodies; and  6.Ensuring that climate policies and investments are measured not only by infrastructure and finance, but also by improvements in safety, access, dignity, participation, and wellbeing.As Ethiopia and Africa move from climate pledges to implementation, social workers must be part of the implementation architecture. Our profession brings practical knowledge of people’s lived realities and the skills needed to connect policy commitments with community-level outcomes. ESWPA invites social-work professionals, students, educators, researchers, government institutions, development partners, civil-society organizations, and communities to join the conversation. Together, we can strengthen climate-informed social work and promote a more just, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable Ethiopia. Priority for climate-informed social work in Ethiopia: 📌 professional training 📌 community-based practice📌 research and evidence, and📌 policy advocacy