South Sudan is struggling to maintain its biodiversity due to oil exploration, armed conflict that worsens poaching, uncontrolled deforestation for timber and charcoal, and conflict between farmers and livestock keepers.

Plastic bottles and bags constitute 90 percent of the waste products that are found in major towns in South Sudan, and there is no plan to recycle or to switch to another eco-friendly product. In 2018 the government issued a ministerial order banning the use of single plastic bags, but it failed because there were a lot of smugglers.

83 percent of assessed settlements not using latrines 11 percent of the population still rely on unimproved drinking water sources such as open ponds that expose them to waterborne diseases. Pollution contributes to the poor condition of water and sanitation around Lake Yirol Lakes State Program aims to increase access to safe water and help communities increase their incomes

Approximately 78 percent of all households in South Sudan earn their livelihoods from farming, fishing, pastoralism or a mix of the three