Managed retreat in response to flooding: lessons from the past for contemporary climate change adaptation

Climate change adaptation issues have recently gained attention for the past few years in Zimbabwe. However, little has been done to explore the challenges, associated with climate change in the country. Therefore, this article explores the challenges affecting small-scale farmers in the Zvishavane District of Zimbabwe in coping with climate change vulnerability. The qualitative research methodology encompassing semi-structured interviews was used to collect data from small-scale farmers and other key informants in the study area. The study portrays that small-scale farmers are struggling to cope with climate change due to resource constraints, lack of access to credit and inputs, aid bottlenecks coupled with contradiction of programs among other critical issues.

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Human adaptation to climate change: An introduction to the special issue

10.31234/osf.io/sw8nh ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Anne Pisor ◽

James Holland Jones

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Social Networks ◽

Climate Change Adaptation ◽

Energy Use ◽

Local Communities ◽

Human Adaptation ◽

Empirical Knowledge ◽

Special Issue ◽

Adaptation To Climate Change ◽

Contemporary Climate

OBJECTIVES. Despite our focus on adaptation and human responses to climate, evolutionary and biological anthropologists (EBAs) are largely absent from conversations about contemporary “climate-change adaptation,” a term popular in other disciplines, the development world, and related policy decisions. EBAs are missing a big opportunity to contribute to impactful, time-sensitive applied work: we have extensive theoretical and empirical knowledge pertinent to conversations about climate-change adaptation and to helping support communities as they cope. This special issue takes a tour of EBA contributions to our understanding of climate-change adaptation, from data on past and contemporary human communities to theoretically informed predictions about how individuals and communities will respond to climate change now and in the future. First, however, we must establish what we mean by “climate change” and “adaptation,” along with other terms commonly used by EBAs; review what EBAs know about adaptation and about human responses to climate change; and identify just a few topics EBAs study that are pertinent to ongoing conversations about climate-change adaptation. In this article, we do just that. CONCLUSION. From our work on energy use to our work on demography, subsistence, social networks, and the salience of climate change to local communities, EBAs have an abundance of data and theoretical insights to help inform responses to contemporary climate change. We need to better reach the climate community and general public with our contributions.

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Prioritization on cultivation and climate change adaptation techniques: a potential option in strengthening climate resilience in South Africa

Agronomía Colombiana ◽

10.15446/agron.colomb.v37n1.77545 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

pp. 62-72 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Oduniyi Oluwaseun Samuel ◽

Antwi Micheal Akwasi ◽

Tekana Sibongile Sylvia

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

South Africa ◽

Climate Change Adaptation ◽

Rank Test ◽

North West ◽

The Past ◽

Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Wilcoxon Sign Rank ◽

Sign Rank Test

Numerous challenges currently experienced in the world today stemmed from global scientific collaborations that rely mainly on the ecosystem. Impact of climate variability threatens food security and production especially among the rural farming households. The study was conducted in North West Province of South Africa, to identify climate change adaptation techniques and to analyze prioritization of farmers on cultivation, both in the past and present. A total number of 497 rural household maize farmers were selected through a stratified sampling method from two district municipalities. Descriptive statistics were used to compute the mean, frequency and percentages, while Wilcoxon sign rank test established farmers’ prioritization on cultivation. The results show different adaptation strategies used. On the other hand, Wilcoxon sign rank test showed a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) between the farmers prioritization on cultivation both in the past and present. The study recommends incorporation of conservation agricultural practices to the existing strategies.

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Sunshine, temperature and wind

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management ◽

10.1108/ijccsm-04-2019-0023 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 22-38

Author(s):

Dramani J.M. File ◽

Emmanuel Kanchebe Derbile

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

Climate Change Adaptation ◽

Knowledge Systems ◽

Endogenous Development ◽

Content Type ◽

The Past ◽

Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽

Vulnerability Assessments ◽

Indigenous Knowledge Systems

Purpose This paper aims to draw on community risk assessment (CRA) for assessing vulnerability to climate change in north-western Ghana, focusing on sunshine, temperature and wind, elements of climate which are seldom explored in vulnerability assessments to climate change. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on data collected from a qualitative research design that used participatory rural appraisal methods, particularly, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and seasonal calendar analysis in three selected rural communities of the Sissala East District. Furthermore, an inter-generational framework was adopted for comparative assessment of vulnerability and changes in vulnerability to climate change. Findings The results show that the current generation of smallholder farmers is more vulnerable to climate change than the past generation, the era of grandparents. Thus, farmers are exposed to higher-intensity sunshine, temperature and wind in contemporary times than was the case in the past. Consequently, their livelihoods are affected the most by the damaging effects of these climatic hazards. The CRA process revealed the relevance of indigenous knowledge systems for vulnerability assessments and at the same time, underpins the need for adaptation of such knowledge if it is to sustain smallholder farmer efforts at climate change adaptation at community levels. Practical implications The paper recommends an endogenous development approach to climate change adaptation planning (CCAP), one that will build on indigenous knowledge systems for effective community education, mobilization and participatory response to climate change. Policy interventions should aim at enhancing climate change adaptation through innovations in soil and water conservation, access to water for irrigation and domestic use, climate smart-housing architecture and agro-forestry within the framework of decentralization and district development planning. Originality/value This paper will contribute to climate change research in two ways: first, by drawing attention to the usefulness of CRA in vulnerability assessment; and second, by focusing on climate elements which are critical for CCAP but rarely given sufficient attention in vulnerability assessments.

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Vermont Climate Change Indicators

Weather Climate and Society ◽

10.1175/2011wcas1096.1 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 106-115 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Alan K. Betts

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Climate Change Adaptation ◽

Growing Season ◽

Early Spring ◽

The State ◽

Consistent Pattern ◽

Adaptation Planning ◽

Small Lakes ◽

The Past ◽

Warming Climate

AbstractClimate change indicators are developed for Vermont in recent decades based on the trends in freeze dates, the length of the growing season, the frozen period of small lakes, and the onset of spring. These trends, which show a consistent pattern of a warming climate in Vermont during the past 50 yr, provide useful information for climate change adaptation planning for the state. The freeze period has become shorter and the growing season for frost-sensitive plants has become longer by about 3.7 (±1.1) days decade−1, the date of the last spring freeze has come earlier by 2.3 (±0.7) days decade−1, and the first autumn freeze has come later by 1.5 (±0.8) days decade−1. The frozen period for small lakes, which depends on mean temperatures over longer periods, has decreased faster by 6.9 (±1.5) days decade−1. Lake freeze-up has occurred later by 3.9 (±1.1) days decade−1, while ice-out has come earlier by 2.9 (±1.0) days decade−1. Lilac first leaf has also been coming earlier by 2.9 (±0.8) days decade−1, while lilac first bloom has advanced more slowly, by 1.6 (±0.6) days decade−1. The first leaf of Vermont lilacs, an indicator of early spring, is closely correlated with the ice-out of the small reference lake, Stile’s Pond, because both are related to temperatures in February–April. In the past 40 yr, the growing season for frost-sensitive plants has increased by 2 weeks, and the growing season for frost-hardy plants may have increased more.

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Twenty-five years of adaptation finance through a climate justice lens

Climatic Change ◽

10.1007/s10584-019-02563-x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 161 (2) ◽

pp. 251-269 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Mizan Khan ◽

Stacy-ann Robinson ◽

Romain Weikmans ◽

David Ciplet ◽

J. Timmons Roberts

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

United Nations ◽

Climate Change Adaptation ◽

Early Years ◽

Climate Justice ◽

Climate Finance ◽

Future Perspectives ◽

Quarter Century ◽

The Past ◽

Normative Expectations

Abstract How much finance should be provided to support climate change adaptation and by whom? How should it be allocated, and on what basis? Over the years, various actors have expressed different normative expectations on climate finance. Which of these expectations are being met and which are not; why, and with what consequences? Have new norms and rules emerged, which remain contested? This article takes stock of the first 25+ years of adaptation finance under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and seeks to understand whether adaptation finance has become more justly governed and delivered over the past quarter century. We distinguish among three “eras” of adaptation finance: (1) the early years under the UNFCCC (1992–2008); (2) the Copenhagen shift (2009–2015); and (3) the post-Paris era (2016–2018). For each era, we systematically review the justice issues raised by evolving expectations and rules over the provision, distribution, and governance of adaptation finance. We conclude by outlining future perspectives for adaptation finance and their implications for climate justice.

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Advancing Climate Change Adaptation: Borrowing from the Natural Hazard Research (NHR) Tradition in Geography

Journal of Extreme Events ◽

10.1142/s2345737616020012 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 03 (02) ◽

pp. 1602001

Author(s):

Monalisa Chatterjee

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Climate Change Adaptation ◽

Systematic Study ◽

Extreme Events ◽

Natural Hazard ◽

Natural Systems ◽

The Past ◽

Past Experiences ◽

Climate Events ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change

Extreme events have widespread impact on human and natural systems, and the response to such extreme events is examined by several academic and practicing communities. For decades, the Natural Hazard Research (NHR) tradition in geography, led by White and expanded by scholars like Mitchell, have looked at possibilities of blending and applying technological fixes and societal adjustments to reduce the risk of losses from extreme events. While knowledge about potential impacts of climate change related to extreme events has grown substantially, the consolidation of knowledge to plan for and respond to extreme climate events in the short and long terms has only begun in the past few years. These scholars have emphasized the importance of context, understanding and including the broader range of options, and systematic study of past experiences to elicit knowledge pertaining to effective societal responses to extreme events. Such lessons from the NHR tradition and the works of Mitchell are key to finding the way forward with climate change adaptation.

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The archaeology of climate change: The case for cultural diversity

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.2108537118 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 118 (30) ◽

pp. e2108537118

Author(s):

Ariane Burke ◽

Matthew C. Peros ◽

Colin D. Wren ◽

Francesco S. R. Pausata ◽

Julien Riel-Salvatore ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Cultural Diversity ◽

Economic Systems ◽

Industrial Complex ◽

Archaeological Record ◽

Spatial And Temporal Scales ◽

The Past ◽

Environmental Transformation ◽

Contemporary Climate

Anthropogenic climate change is currently driving environmental transformation on a scale and at a pace that exceeds historical records. This represents an undeniably serious challenge to existing social, political, and economic systems. Humans have successfully faced similar challenges in the past, however. The archaeological record and Earth archives offer rare opportunities to observe the complex interaction between environmental and human systems under different climate regimes and at different spatial and temporal scales. The archaeology of climate change offers opportunities to identify the factors that promoted human resilience in the past and apply the knowledge gained to the present, contributing a much-needed, long-term perspective to climate research. One of the strengths of the archaeological record is the cultural diversity it encompasses, which offers alternatives to the solutions proposed from within the Western agro-industrial complex, which might not be viable cross-culturally. While contemporary climate discourse focuses on the importance of biodiversity, we highlight the importance of cultural diversity as a source of resilience.

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Longing for the Past: An Analysis of Discursive Formations in the Greta Thunberg Message

Culture Unbound Journal of Current Cultural Research ◽

10.3384/cu.vi0.1796 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-17

Author(s):

Hanna Sjögren

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

The Past ◽

Changing Climate ◽

Human Child ◽

Contemporary Climate

This article studies discursive formations of climate change in texts by the contemporary climate activist movement’s most famous character, Greta Thunberg. This study critically analyses the Greta Thunberg message and discusses the kind of worlds her message evokes. In doing so, the author discusses what is being included in and omitted from contemporary public understandings of climate change. Three themes are identified and analysed in the Greta Thunberg message: science as truth; for the sake of the human child; and the apocalyptic futures and the evocation of the past. It is argued that the Greta Thunberg message makes sense because of how it resonates with a worldview related to the promises of modernity. Furthermore, one way of understanding the popularity of Thunberg’s message is that it evokes dreams of a world that once was. It is suggested that the Greta Thunberg message evokes longing for the past, rather than the possibility of existing in an already changing climate.

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