scholarly journals Perspectives on Energy Insecurity and Its Impacts on Urban Livelihoods: Adaptation and Resilience of Women in the Informal Sector

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Memory Reid ◽  
Mulala Danny Simatele

Variability in temperature and precipitation due to climate change is predicted to significantly impact on Southern African countries' resources. These variations have the potential to affect the energy sector due to a heavy reliance on hydropower for electricity in the region. Energy insecurity is largely felt in cities as they are large consumers of the resource. This negatively impacts on urban livelihoods reliant on electricity like those in the informal sector. A survey of electricity dependent home-based informal businesses operated by women was conducted, to generate information on the vulnerability of urban livelihoods to energy insecurity in Harare, Zimbabwe. Households across all socio-economic backgrounds performed informal businesses to supplement household income and were heavily depended on the irregular electricity supply. Women from poor households managing informal businesses were disproportionately affected by the unstable electricity supply, as they could not afford alternative energy sources to continue business operations during power cuts. This accentuated their low adaptive capacity and vulnerability to climate change induced stresses. This paper brings to light the importance of improving the resilience and adaptive capacity of urban livelihoods to climate change related challenges like energy insecurity, whilst exploring climate-resilient energy options to sufficiently mitigate against the impacts of climate change on energy security.

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman Corobov ◽  
Igor Sîrodoev ◽  
Sonja Koeppel ◽  
Nickolai Denisov ◽  
Ghennadi Sîrodoev

Vulnerability to climate change of the Moldavian part of the Dniester river was assessed as the function of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity of its basin’s natural and socioeconomic systems. As a spatial “scale” of the assessment, Moldova’s administrative-territorial units (ATUs) were selected. The exposure assessment was based on the climatic analysis of baseline (1971–2000) temperature and precipitation and projections of their changes in 2021–2050, separately for cold and warm periods. The sensitivity assessment included physiographical and socioeconomic characteristics, described by a set of specific indicators. The adaptive capacity was expressed by general economic and agricultural indicators, taking into consideration the medical provision and housing conditions. Through a ranking approach, the relative vulnerability of each ATU was calculated by summing its sensitivity and adaptive capacity ranks; the latter were obtained as combinations of their primary indicator ranks, arranged in an increasing and decreasing order, respectively. Due to lack of sound knowledge on these components' importance in overall assessment of vulnerability, their weights were taken as conventionally equal. Mapping of vulnerability revealed that ATUs neighboring to municipalities are the most vulnerable and need special attention in climate change adaptation. The basin’s “hotspots” were discussed with public participation.


Author(s):  
Terese E. Venus ◽  
Stephanie Bilgram ◽  
Johannes Sauer ◽  
Arun Khatri-Chettri

AbstractIn the Indo-Gangetic Plains, one of India’s most productive agricultural regions, smallholder livelihood vulnerability can inhibit sustainable development. As there are significant differences in economic development, natural resources and agricultural productivity within the region, we estimate the Livelihood Vulnerability Index in two districts (Vaishali, Bihar and Karnal, Haryana) to determine suitable adaptation strategies under diverse conditions. To reflect different aspects of climate exposure, we include both self-reported climate shocks and spatially interpolated weather data. The assessment of 1127 households shows that while both districts have similar exposure and adaptive capacity levels, the sensitivity dimension makes Vaishali more vulnerable to climate change. To reduce sensitivity, decision-makers should focus on improving infrastructure (e.g., permanent housing, latrines, health centers, alternative energy sources). To improve adaptive capacity and reduce climate risk in both regions, policymakers should promote the expansion of extension training for livelihood diversification, information and communication technologies as well as conservation agriculture.


Author(s):  
A. G. Apdohan ◽  
R. P. Varela ◽  
R. M. Balanay

Abstract. Assessing an area's vulnerability can serve as an effective planning tool to increase resilience to climate-related hazards. This paper provides information on the most vulnerable municipalities to climate change impacts in the province of Agusan del Norte, Philippines. The assessment included in the geospatial analysis were physical, agro-ecological, and socio-economic indicators clustered under the components of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Using MaxEnt, modelling the suitability of crops due to changes in temperature and precipitation by the year 2050 determines the crops' sensitivity. A combination of natural hazards datasets was used to estimate the extent of exposure to each municipality within the province under pressure from climate and hydro-meteorological risks. An up-to-date database from the concerned local government units for adaptive capacity indicators was clustered into seven capitals: economic, natural, human, physical, social, anticipatory, and institutional. The total CRV model for rice, corn, and banana crops revealed that the municipalities identified as highly vulnerable due to their high exposure to climate hazards, the decreasing crops' suitability to climate variability, and low adaptive capacity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 161-170
Author(s):  
Tuan Ngoc Le ◽  
Bang Van Nguyen

This work aimed to assess the vulnerability to the climate change (CC) in Vinh Long province till 2020. Inundation, saltwater intrusion (SI), drought, riverbank landslide, storm, temperature and precipitation were taken into consideration. In addition to the socialogical investigation, risk assessment matrix, adaptive capacity assessment methods, etc. the vulnerability to CC was evaluated via index method. Results showed that among 8 districts in the province, Long Ho, Vung Liem, Vinh Long city, and Tam Binh were the most vulnerable. Besides, sectors interested in the relationship to CC include agriculture, infrastructure, and landuse. Indicated vulnerable sectors and areas in the province were important factor for planning suitable coping measures, especially in the context of CC seriously increasing.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayansina AYANLADE ◽  
Isaac Ayo OLUWATIMILEHIN

Abstract Climate variability/change has varied impacts on crop yields in many Sub-Saharan African countries. Enhancing the adaptive capacity of rural farmers is a major challenge as climate change becomes threatened to agricultural activities in the region. In this study, the impacts of climate change on cassava crops were examined, and farmers’ perceptions of climate, change and their experienced adaptation methods were assessed. Historical climate data and social datasets were used; the adaptation option and barriers to the use of adaptation methods were obtained through questionnaires, semistructured interviews and focus group discussions. Correlation statistics and multiple regressions were utilized to show the impacts of climate on the yield of cassava. The results showed a high variation in climatic variables together with an obvious anomaly index with severity. Minimum and maximum temperatures correlated strongly and positively with the yield of cassava, with 0.86, 0.82 and 0.87, respectively, which were significant at p>0.05. The results of multiple regression showed that climate parameters accounted for 75% of the changes in yield. The results also showed a very strong relationship between crops and rainfall in the early growing season at the p<0.05 level of significance. The majority of the farmers perceived that lack of capital and financial, physical and human capital accounted for 70% of barriers to the implementation of climate change adaptation methods. The key findings here are that the cropping system has been impacted by climate change and that the adaptive capacity of rural farmers in the study area is generally low. The study concludes that although climate change is obvious, there is generally a need to enhance the adaptation options available to farmers in the region.


2011 ◽  
Vol 02 (02) ◽  
pp. 149-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
PRADEEP KURUKULASURIYA ◽  
NAMRATA KALA ◽  
ROBERT MENDELSOHN

Although there is now an extensive literature on the economic impacts of climate change on agriculture, no study has yet addressed the endogeneity of irrigation. This paper examines how climate affects the choice to irrigate and the conditional income earned by each farmer. The paper develops a selection model of irrigation choice and conditional income. Using data from farmers across eleven African countries, the paper demonstrates that the choice of irrigation is sensitive to both temperature and precipitation. Rainfed and irrigated farm income also both respond to climate but have different climate sensitivity. Impact models that fail to account for endogenous irrigation are biased.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-36
Author(s):  
A. Sandalli

While climate change has harsh universal impacts, it is believed that its negative effects fall disproportionately on hotter, developing regions. This paper examines these claims using a panel datasets for 84 OECD and Sub- Saharan African countries between 1970–2018. I document both the evolution of country-specific temperatures and the long-term economic impact of temperature and precipitation variations on GDP per-capita. Using a panel auto-regressive distributed lag model on the sample mentioned above, I found that temperatures have unanimously increased for all sample-countries and that variations in temperature above historical norms significantly reduced income-growth. No significant relationship was found between precipitation and income growth. When interacting ‘poor’ and ‘hot’ country variables, I found that temperature variations disproportionately affected both hotter and poorer Sub-Saharan African countries. In OECD countries, temperatures have increased more quickly relative to their historical norms than Sub-Saharan African countries. Finally, while poorer and developing countries are more adversely affected by temperature variations, they seem to recover more quickly from temperature shocks than sample averages. I explain these results and link them to potential policy implications regarding global sustainable development and greenhouse gas abatement.


Politeia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abiba Yayah

The agency of women in most African countries is often affected by the socio-economic and political policies that are almost always disadvantageous to women, especially women who have little to no knowledge of their rights. Using the shea industry in Ghana as a case study, I chronicle the challenges as recounted by rural women involved in this home-based work in the Northern Region of Ghana and critically analyse these challenges and their implications. Focusing mainly on the results of my recent field work, I present some of the accounts relating to the lack and exclusion of recognition of and respect for the experiences of rural women who are in fact the linchpin of the shea industry in Ghana. Initiatives and strategies of non-governmental organisations and some governmental policies have attempted to address these challenges that have implications for the livelihoods of rural women. Research and policies have only offered “band-aid solutions” to the economic disempowerment of rural women in the shea industry in Ghana as they have not dealt with the causes. This article seeks to refute the claim that equity exists by indicating the lack of equity and justice in the policies in the shea industry. In an attempt to provide an understanding of the economic disempowerment of women in this industry, I consider my field work as a good source as it exposes the experiences and everyday practices as narrated by rural women in the industry. This article seeks to analyse the existing discourses especially those pertaining to the contributions and experiences of rural women in the shea industry.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuaib Lwasa

Africa’s urbanization rate has increased steadily over the past three decades and is reported to be faster than in any other region in the world . It is estimated that by 2030, over half of the African population will be living in urban areas . But the nature of Africa’s urbanization and subsequent form of cities is yet to be critically analyzed in the context of city authorities’ readiness to address the challenges . Evidence is also suggesting that urbanization in African countries is increasingly associated with the high economic growth that has been observed in the last two decades . Both underlying and proximate drivers are responsible for the urbanization, and these include population dynamics, economic growth, legislative designation, increasing densities in rural centers, as well as the growth of mega cities such as Lagos, Cairo and Kinshasa, that are extending to form urban corridors . With the opportunities of urbanization in Sub–Saharan Africa, there are also challenges in the development and management of these cities . Those challenges include provision of social services, sustainable economic development, housing development, urban governance, spatial development guidance and environmental management, climate change adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk reduction . The challenge involves dealing with the development and infrastructure deficit, in addition to required adaption to and mitigation of climate change . This paper examines the current state of urban management in Africa .


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document