scholarly journals Building adaptive capacity of smallholder agriculture to climate change: evidence synthesis on learning outcomes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Silici ◽  
Andy Rowe ◽  
Nanthikesan Suppiramaniam ◽  
Jeremy Knox
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
International Development ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Adaptive Capacity ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Scaling Up ◽  
Critical Element ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Transformative Action ◽  
Access To Knowledge

Abstract Increasing climate uncertainty coupled with more frequent extreme events poses a serious threat to the sustainability of smallholder communities dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods. Whilst there is extensive literature on adaptation options, there is a pressing need to understand what interventions have been successful in building smallholder’s adaptive capacity, and how these have been transferred (nationally and internationally) through learning outcomes. The aim of this rapid evidence assessment was to assess the extent to which learning outcomes have supported initiatives to mainstream adaptation, focussing on three key areas, (i) scaling up climate sensitive adaptive interventions, (ii) the role of knowledge management to promote effective adaptive solutions, and (iii) human-ecosystem interactions in climate change adaptation. A protocol for the review was defined, from which 806 sources of evidence were retrieved. After screening for relevance using inclusion criteria, 91 were selected and the salient evidence extracted and synthesised. Access to knowledge remains one of the most important determinants of smallholders’ decisions to respond to climate risk and a critical element in building adaptive capacity. The way knowledge is generated and exchanged is also directly relevant to securing effective scaling-up pathways. Learning platforms through participatory action research, farmer field schools and community-based initiatives were found to be particularly effective. However, knowledge based on local practices alone may be insufficient to prompt transformative action. Bridging local and external knowledge is critical because it widens the smallholders’ knowledge base and encourages ‘proactive’ adaptation alongside more typical ‘reactive’ strategies. The contribution of evidence reviews to provide new insights to inform decision-making and investment in international development and the implications for advocating climate-sensitive policies at national and global levels are discussed.

Evaluating the Community’s Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change at the Household Level: Evidences from a Survey in Rang Dong Town, Nghia Hung District, Nam Dinh Province

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dam Thi Tuyet
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
International Development ◽  
Adaptive Capacity ◽  
Sustainable Livelihood ◽  
Household Level ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

This research used the sustainable livelihood framework developed by the Department for International Development of the United Kingdom (2001) to evaluate the community’s adaptive capacity to climate change in Rang Dong town, Nghia Hung district, Nam Dinh province. In-depth interviews were conducted with 79 households to explore their opinions and rating about symptoms and impacts of climate change related to their families’s livelihoods. The interviews also focused on the methods that the households used to respond to climate change. The research findings show that the households’ capacity to climate change is generally weak. The households’ livelihood resources there are utlised at a low level and these resources are insufficient to support them in responding to climate change.

scholarly journals Vulnerability of Street Trees in Upper Midwest Cities to Climate Change

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie A. Brandt ◽  
Gary R. Johnson ◽  
Eric A. North ◽  
Jack Faje ◽  
Annamarie Rutledge
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Adaptive Capacity ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
The United States ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Upper Midwest ◽  
Tree Data ◽  
Rcp 8.5

Urban trees play an important role in helping cities adapt to climate change, but also are vulnerable to changes in climate themselves. We developed an approach for assessing vulnerability of urban tree species and cultivars commonly planted in cities in the United States Upper Midwest to current and projected climate change through the end of the 21st century. One hundred seventy-eight tree species were evaluated for their adaptive capacity to a suite of current and future-projected climate and urban stressors using a weighted scoring system based on an extensive literature review. These scores were then evaluated and adjusted by leading experts in arboriculture in the region. Each species or cultivar’s USDA Hardiness Zone and American Horticultural Society Heat Zone tolerance was compared to current and future heat and hardiness zones for 14 municipalities across Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota using statistically downscaled climate data. Species adaptive capacity and zone tolerance was combined to assign each species one of five vulnerability categories for each location. We determined the number of species and trees in each category based on the most recent municipal street tree data for each location. Under a scenario of less climate change (RCP 4.5), fewer than 2% of trees in each municipality were considered highly vulnerable across all 14 municipalities. Under a scenario of greater change (RCP 8.5), upward of 25% of trees were considered highly vulnerable in some locations. However, the number of vulnerable trees varied greatly by location, primarily because of differences in projected summer high temperatures rather than differences in species composition. Urban foresters can use this information as a complement to other more traditional considerations used when selecting trees for planting.

Global Health and International Development

2018 ◽  
pp. 216-235
Author(s):  
Andrew Harmer ◽  
Jonathan Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Economic System ◽  
International Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Global Population

This chapter explores the relationship between international development and global health. Contrary to the view that development implies ‘good change’, this chapter argues that the discourse of development masks the destructive and exploitative practices of wealthy countries at the expense of poorer ones. These practices, and the unregulated capitalist economic system that they are part of, have created massive inequalities between and within countries, and potentially catastrophic climate change. Both of these outcomes are detrimental to global health and the millennium development goals and sustainable development goals do not challenge these dynamics. While the Sustainable Development Goals acknowledge that inequality and climate change are serious threats to the future of humanity, they fail to address the economic system that created them. Notwithstanding, it is possible that the enormity and proximity of the threat posed by inequality and global warming will energise a counter movement to create what Kate Raworth terms ‘an ecologically safe and socially just space’ for the global population while there is still time.

scholarly journals Habitat use as indicator of adaptive capacity to climate change

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire S. Teitelbaum ◽  
Alexej P. K. Sirén ◽  
Ethan Coffel ◽  
Jane R. Foster ◽  
Jacqueline L. Frair ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Adaptive Capacity

scholarly journals R–R–T (resistance–resilience–transformation) typology reveals differential conservation approaches across ecosystems and time

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Peterson St-Laurent ◽  
Lauren E. Oakes ◽  
Molly Cross ◽  
Shannon Hagerman
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Conservation Practices ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Empirical Assessment ◽  
Transformative Action ◽  
Conservation Actions

AbstractConservation practices during the first decade of the millennium predominantly focused on resisting changes and maintaining historical or current conditions, but ever-increasing impacts from climate change have highlighted the need for transformative action. However, little empirical evidence exists on what kinds of conservation actions aimed specifically at climate change adaptation are being implemented in practice, let alone how transformative these actions are. In response, we propose and trial a novel typology—the R–R–T scale, which improves on existing concepts of Resistance, Resilience, and Transformation—that enables the practical application of contested terms and the empirical assessment of whether and to what extent a shift toward transformative action is occurring. When applying the R–R–T scale to a case study of 104 adaptation projects funded since 2011, we find a trend towards transformation that varies across ecosystems. Our results reveal that perceptions about the acceptance of novel interventions in principle are beginning to be expressed in practice.

scholarly journals Future climate change vulnerability of endemic island mammals

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Camille Leclerc ◽  
Franck Courchamp ◽  
Céline Bellard
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Adaptive Capacity ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Vulnerability ◽  
Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽  
Insular Ecosystems

Abstract Despite their high vulnerability, insular ecosystems have been largely ignored in climate change assessments, and when they are investigated, studies tend to focus on exposure to threats instead of vulnerability. The present study examines climate change vulnerability of islands, focusing on endemic mammals and by 2050 (RCPs 6.0 and 8.5), using trait-based and quantitative-vulnerability frameworks that take into account exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Our results suggest that all islands and archipelagos show a certain level of vulnerability to future climate change, that is typically more important in Pacific Ocean ones. Among the drivers of vulnerability to climate change, exposure was rarely the main one and did not explain the pattern of vulnerability. In addition, endemic mammals with long generation lengths and high dietary specializations are predicted to be the most vulnerable to climate change. Our findings highlight the importance of exploring islands vulnerability to identify the highest climate change impacts and to avoid the extinction of unique biodiversity.

Analysis of smallholder farmers’ vulnerability to climate change and variability in south Wollo, north east highlands of Ethiopia: An agro-ecological system-based approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yimer Mohammed ◽  
Kindie Tesfaye ◽  
Menfese Tadesse ◽  
Fantaw Yimer
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Adaptive Capacity ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Scale Level ◽  
Ecological Zones ◽  
Micro Scale ◽  
Climate Change And Variability ◽  
North East ◽  
Agro Ecological Zones

Abstract Background: Climate change and variability has been significantly affecting the Ethiopian agricultural production and thereby smallholder farmers livelihoods. The level of vulnerability varied across agro-ecological zones (AEZs). Identification of difference in the level of vulnerability of a system is important in selecting appropriate and effective adaption options to climate change. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the level of vulnerability of agricultural communities to climate change and variability at micro-scale level in five agro-ecological zones (AEZs) of south Wollo, north east highlands of Ethiopia. Data was collected from a representative of 502 sample households from five AEZs through multi stage random sampling methods. Focus group discussion and key informant interviews were also carried out to supplement and substantiate the quantitative data. The indicator based approach was used to empirically calculate vulnerability. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to give weight for indicators and generate index of vulnerability contributing factors. Results: The results showed that each of the vulnerability contributing factors (exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity) varied across the AEZs. M3, SM2 and SM3 are the most exposed AEZs but having a relatively better adaptive capacity whereas M1, M2 and M3 are the most sensitive AEZs with relatively low adaptive capacity to climate variability and change. Overall, SM2 is the most vulnerable AEZ which exhibited high sensitivity and low adaptive capacity followed by M1. Conclusions: The study explored sources and levels of vulnerability to each agro-ecology. Since the study is conducted at micro-scale level, it helps decision makers and development partners to have context-specific understanding of the impact of climate change and variability and design appropriate adaptation measures to address the specific situations.

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