How does climate-related vulnerability influence violent extremist networks in Kenya’s peripheries? A preliminary review

BackgroundAs the climate and environmental crises unfold, eco-anxiety, defined as anxiety about the crises’ devastating consequences for life on earth, affects mental health worldwide. Despite its importance, research on eco-anxiety is currently limited by a lack of validated assessment instruments available in different languages. Recently, Hogg and colleagues proposed a multidimensional approach to assess eco-anxiety. Here, we aim to translate the original English Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS) into German and to assess its reliability and validity in a German sample.MethodsFollowing the TRAPD (translation, review, adjudication, pre-test, documentation) approach, we translated the original English scale into German. In total, 486 participants completed the German HEAS. We used Bayesian confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess whether the four-factorial model of the original English version could be replicated in the German sample. Furthermore, associations with a variety of emotional reactions towards the climate crisis, general depression, anxiety, and stress were investigated.ResultsThe German HEAS was internally consistent (Cronbach’s alphas 0.71–0.86) and the Bayesian CFA showed that model fit was best for the four-factorial model, comparable to the factorial structure of the original English scale (affective symptoms, rumination, behavioral symptoms, anxiety about personal impact). Weak to moderate associations were found with negative emotional reactions towards the climate crisis and with general depression, anxiety, and stress.DiscussionOur results support the original four-factorial model of the scale and indicate that the German HEAS is a reliable and valid scale to assess eco-anxiety in German speaking populations.

As a complex and multifaceted phenomena, human migration has shaped and reshaped human societies and history across all regions. The drivers of human migration are diverse and interconnected, usually influenced by a combination of factors. Environmental factors are increasingly recognized as significant drivers of human migration as climate stressors like droughts, floods and extreme weather events continue to render areas uninhabitable or unsuitable for agriculture, pushing people out for better living conditions. This research aimed to investigate the impacts of climatic migration on food security in the Sudano-Sahelian region of Nigeria (Katsina and Jigawa). A Key Informant Interview (KII) was conducted using a structured questionnaire to 385 respondents in order to assess the relationship between climate induced-migration and food security in the study area. The results revealed that, about 90% (n=346) of the respondents are aware of climate variability. Climate induced migrations in the study area affects food security through reduced labor force (50%), loss of farming communities (37%) and resource competition (11%). About 36% (n=140) of the respondents believed that to mitigate climate induced migration effects on food security, investments in climate smart/resilient agriculture and irrigation systems should be employed while 27% (n=104) chose enhancing social safety nets and livelihood diversification. Overall, the relationship rating between climate induced migration and food security revealed that, about 40% (n=153) believed that the relationship is moderately negative while 136 respondents (35%) believed that the relationship is strongly negative, meaning that climate induced migration worsens the food security situation in the area. The study establishes an intricate relationship between climate induced migration and food insecurity with far-reaching implications, including heightened household hunger and food insecurity and decreased agricultural productivity and resilience. It is recommended that the government should intervene through supports in small-scale agriculture and smart agriculture to encourage local food production in order to increase food availability and access.

The Politics of Social Protection in Kenya: State Capacity, Political Competition and Social Pension Registration in Marsabit County

Mental health and climate change: tackling invisible injustice

Fighting for the Future:A Just Transition in Intensive Livestock Production? Georgia Montague-Nelson (bio) The planet is in crisis. Climate change is threatening the world and is affecting all workers. The global food system has a huge impact on the climate crisis, and globally is estimated to be responsible for over one-third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The intensive production of meat and dairy is the most emissions intensive sector in agriculture and is responsible for 14.5 percent of emissions1. Emissions from manure, the production of animal feed, clearance of land, production and use of agrochemicals, and fossil fuels used across the supply chain, pollute the air and the water2. Population growth, the growth of the middle class, and shifts to diets, alongside neoliberalism and globalisation have all increased demand for and consumption of livestock products globally. This has contributed to huge scaling up of climate damaging production methods, and an export-driven system of global food production. Financialisation across the industry has consolidated power in the hands of a small number of TNCs. These corporations prioritise profits at the expense of the climate and the rights and wellbeing of workers. Globally, 70 percent of emissions are the result of corporate activity3, but these corporates brandish their vast economic power to lobby governments and international institutions to liberalise trade and influence climate change policy4. Production of huge quantities of cheap food contribute to the global obesity crisis, agrochemical and pharmaceutical use threaten the health of workers, and the COVID-19 crisis has underlined the potential of our food system to facilitate global pandemics5. The global food system is also negatively impacted by the climate crisis, causing loss of nature, biodiversity and arable land, water shortages and reduced yields6. This is devastating food production, threatening global food security and harming the human right to food which is hitting groups in situations of vulnerability hardest. Of the 690 million who face food insecurity right now, 60 percent are women and girls7. Millions are workers' who produce the world's food. But food scarcity is not the cause of food insecurity. The global food system is failing to deliver food security because the system is devastated by inequality of access and food waste. Why is the climate crisis a trade union issue? The climate crisis is already destroying the livelihoods of millions of workers across the world. The impacts are disproportionately felt by certain groups–agriculture and food production workers whose livelihoods are dependent on the climate, and groups in situations of vulnerability (women, migrants, youth, precarious and informal workers) who are overrepresented in the sector. These workers often face insecurity and discrimination at work, have weak rights and representation and are regarded as disposable by corporates. The food system is maintained by workers whose labour is exploited in the name of economic growth. Workers in intensive livestock production face relentless drives to cut costs, which results in stagnating wages, undermining of rights, and insecure and dangerous working conditions. Workers also face unique occupational health and safety issues because of the changing climate. Workers who are exposed to the elements or working without ventilation or air conditioning experience heat stress, with potential deadly impacts8. It is estimated that 2.2 percent of working hours worldwide will be lost to high temperatures by 20309, contributing to lost wages and more precarious working situations. Trade unions have a long history of fighting for a safer world where the rights of workers are protected. The climate crisis is no different. Principles for a Just Transition in Livestock Production Intensive livestock production is unsustainable and is threatening global food security. But food systems are essential for tackling the climate crisis. A radical transformation of the food system is urgently needed. But shifts to production will bring challenges for workers' livelihoods and workers and unions have historically been excluded from decision-making about transitions. But the climate crisis has ultimately been caused by the failure of the capitalist system to provide equality, respect for rights, and sustainability. So, for unions the fight for a just transition also means the fight for socio-economic transformation...

Extreme climate change events such as frequent and prolonged droughts or floods associated with climate change can be very disruptive to peoples’ livelihoods particularly in rural settings, where people rely on the immediate environment for livelihood. Shocks in the people’s livelihoods can trigger diverse responses that include migration as a coping or adaption strategy. Migration takes many forms depending on the context and resources availability. Very few studies in Kenya have used qualitative analysis to bring up women’s voices in relation to gender, climate change, and migration, especially along hydrological gradient. This chapter presents results of qualitative research conducted from 58 participants in 2018 in three counties in Kenya, namely, Kiambu County, Machakos, and Makueni. The study sought to examine gender perceptions related to climate-induced migration, that is: whether climate change is perceived to be affecting women’s livelihood differently from that of men; examine in what ways experiences of climate induced migration differed for men and women; explore perceptions on the county government efforts to cope with climate-induced migration; and examine perceptions of the role of nongovernmental agencies in helping citizens cope with climate change. From the results obtained on ways in which climate change affected women livelihoods more than men had four themes: (1) women exerted more strain in domestic chores, child/family care, and in the farm labor; (2) women also experienced more time demands. The sources of water and firewood were getting more scarce leading to women travel long distances in search to fetch water and firewood; (3) reduced farm yields, hence inadequate food supply; and (4) the effects of time and strain demands on women was a contributory factor to women poor health and domestic conflicts. Several measures that the county government could take to assist women to cope with climate change-induced migration had five themes which include the following: (1) developing climate change mitigations, and reducing deforestation; (2) increasing water harvesting and storage; (3) develop smart agriculture through the use of drought-resistant crops and drought mitigation education; (4) encourage diversification of livelihoods; and finally (5) providing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable populations such as orphans and the very poor. Thirdly, the measures mentioned that NGO’s could take to assist rural communities to cope with climate change-induced migration did not vary significantly from those mentioned for county government, except probably for a new theme of increasing advocacy for climate adaption policies.

Extreme climate change events such as frequent and prolonged droughts or floods associated with climate change can be very disruptive to peoples’ livelihoods particularly in rural settings, where people rely on the immediate environment for livelihood. Shocks in the people’s livelihoods can trigger diverse responses that include migration as a coping or adaption strategy. Migration takes many forms depending on the context and resources availability. Very few studies in Kenya have used qualitative analysis to bring up women’s voices in relation to gender, climate change, and migration, especially along hydrological gradient. This chapter presents results of qualitative research conducted from 58 participants in 2018 in three counties in Kenya, namely, Kiambu County, Machakos, and Makueni. The study sought to examine gender perceptions related to climate-induced migration, that is: whether climate change is perceived to be affecting women’s livelihood differently from that of men; examine in what ways experiences of climate induced migration differed for men and women; explore perceptions on the county government efforts to cope with climate-induced migration; and examine perceptions of the role of nongovernmental agencies in helping citizens cope with climate change. From the results obtained on ways in which climate change affected women livelihoods more than men had four themes: (1) women exerted more strain in domestic chores, child/family care, and in the farm labor; (2) women also experienced more time demands. The sources of water and firewood were getting more scarce leading to women travel long distances in search to fetch water and firewood; (3) reduced farm yields, hence inadequate food supply; and (4) the effects of time and strain demands on women was a contributory factor to women poor health and domestic conflicts. Several measures that the county government could take to assist women to cope with climate change-induced migration had five themes which include the following: (1) developing climate change mitigations, and reducing deforestation; (2) increasing water harvesting and storage; (3) develop smart agriculture through the use of drought-resistant crops and drought mitigation education; (4) encourage diversification of livelihoods; and finally (5) providing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable populations such as orphans and the very poor. Thirdly, the measures mentioned that NGO’s could take to assist rural communities to cope with climate change-induced migration did not vary significantly from those mentioned for county government, except probably for a new theme of increasing advocacy for climate adaption policies.

The climate crisis has migration implications, and we need to act inclusively and urgently. Climate change impacts people’s decisions to migrate largely through economic, political, technological, demographic, and socio-cultural factors, and their dynamic interlinkages. These complex issues often influence climate risks and vulnerabilities and complicate effective investment and policy actions on migration. However, there is inadequate documentation on how climate change is linked to migration and social transformation. Based on a traditional literature review and inputs from a consultation dialogue, this paper analyzes climate-induced migration in West Africa using a social transformation lens. The paper conceptualizes the climate-induced migrant as an agent of adaptation and describes the complexities of climate vulnerabilities, and its intersection with social transformation in migration decisions. A social transformation conceptual framework is proposed to identify the complexities of climate-induced migration and ensure inclusive strategies are planned, implemented, and sustained. The paper discusses the need for transdisciplinary research approaches to capture various intersections of transforming socio-economic and environmental vulnerabilities across different countries and migratory landscapes. The paper also highlights the critical concern in the region regarding the “trapped population.” It suggests that a social transformation lens is required to unravel the dynamics around vulnerable people unable to migrate because they do not have the resources to migrate or are constrained by cultural issues.

Large-scale transport infrastructure investments connect both large metropolitan centres of production as well as small peripheral regions. Are the resulting trade cost reductions a force for the diffusion of industrial and total economic activity to peripheral regions, or do they reinforce the concentration of production in space? This article exploits China's National Trunk Highway System as a large-scale natural experiment to contribute to our understanding of this question. The network was designed to connect provincial capitals and cities with an urban population above 500,000. As a side effect, a large number of small peripheral counties were connected to large metropolitan agglomerations. To address non-random route placements on the way between targeted city nodes, I propose an instrumental variable strategy based on the construction of least cost path spanning tree networks. The estimation results suggest that network connections have led to a reduction in GDP growth among non-targeted peripheral counties. This effect appears to be driven by a significant reduction in industrial output growth. Additional results present evidence in support of a trade-based channel in the light of falling trade costs between peripheral and metropolitan regions.

The climate crisis refers to the negative consequences of human-induced economic activities on nature and human life in the 20th century. These consequences include the destruction of natural resources and land, depletion of water resources, disruption of life forms in nature, air and water pollution, loss of health, habitat loss, and displacement. Therefore, today's economic activities must consider this negative legacy of the previous century. However, this new constraint, clearly observable in nature and social life and referred to as the climate crisis, has unfortunately not yet been adequately reflected in economic theory. This situation risks facing an even bigger crisis if economic policies continue to be based on economic information. In this context, this study examines the extent to which orthodox economics and post-Keynesian economics, as a heterodox approach, have attempted to consider climate constraints from the past to the present, and reveals the extent to which economic theory is prepared for policy measures to be developed to address the climate crisis.

Business organizations in Kenya are classified as small, medium and large. Within these classifications, there exist structural and operational factors that influence the adoption of information systems (IS), and identifying these factors is crucial to IS implementation. The study conducted a survey of 50 such businesses within Kajiado, a County characterized by under-developed IS infrastructure and a resource scarcity that is typical of many peripheral counties in Kenya. Results are presented in the form of descriptive statistics and a hierarchical regression model. Some of the key variables studies during adoption and diffusion included characteristics of decision-makers, organization, the environment and the IS infrastructure. The results of this study can be used to identify the key variables that drive the adoption of IS in small- and medium-sized businesses. The study therefore provides parties involved with adoption process a practical synopsis of the IS adoption process which is believed to assist them with successful adoption.

The climate crisis is threatening native forests all over Europe and a change in the composition of species can be expected in the future. Diversity of tree species is one key aspect of resilience against the climatic stress caused by the climate crisis. To maintain one of the last huge floodplains in Europe – the Danube Floodplain – for future generations, it is necessary to monitor the change of the species distribution and the development of eco-systems. Remote sensing is widely used for establishing a constant monitoring of forests, including tree species classification (TSC). Currently, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) offer very high-resolution data together with temporal flexibility and cost efficiency which can be used in the management practice of forests and national parks in particular. However, due to the extensive diversity inherent in different forest types and tree species, the results obtained in the state-of-art research in TSC via very high-resolution optical data cannot be generalised. As there is still a gap in research in the field of TSC in riparian forests, this study aims at filling this gap with preliminary results of TSC in a riparian forest, namely the Danube Floodplain National Park (Austria). Therefore, three drone flights were conducted during October, September, and May spanning the years 2021 and 2022 together with a simultaneous collection of reference data in the field. Tree crowns were delineated manually in two different ways: point-buffered and exact delineation of the crown shape. Multiple object-based Random Forest models were performed, comparing mono- and multitemporal data as well as two different spatial resolutions (3.0 cm and 6.4 cm) and the two different levels of detail of the delineation of tree crowns. Highest Overall Accuracy (OA) for 12 different tree species and one dead wood class could be reached by the multitemporal model at 82.1 % (kappa = 80.8 %) with the higher spatial resolution (3.0 cm) and the exact delineation of the reference data. Producer’s Accuracy (PA) and User’s Accuracy (UA) varied between 50 % and 100 % for different classes. Promising results from this study showed that the presented method can be used for precise monitoring of tree species diversity in the Danube Floodplain National Park. Further improvement could be reached by merging data from different sensors.

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Climate ChangeFull AccessPsychotherapy for Eco-Anxiety: Shifting From Catastrophizing to ActionRobert Feder, M.D.Robert FederSearch for more papers by this author, M.D.Published Online:25 Aug 2022https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2022.09.9.29AbstractThe climate crisis is quickly becoming the greatest existential threat to most of Earth’s inhabitants. Increased awareness of this issue generates many distressing psychological experiences, including anxiety, panic, depression, and hopelessness.Psychiatrists and mental health professionals will increasingly need to help individuals deal with these reactions. The techniques described here have been utilized and presented in scientific lectures and publications. Although there have been few, if any, controlled trials of these techniques for eco-anxiety, they have been extensively reported to be beneficial. These interventions are intended for adults and adolescents.Anxiety, dread, discouragement, despair, hopelessness, grief, and guilt in relation to the climate crisis are normal responses. It is important to identify this for patients and not make them feel that their reactions are abnormal or pathological. If eco-anxiety is treated as an illness, the forces of climate denial will have won. Patients should be provided a safe space in which distressing emotions can be discussed and processed. After this, they can be helped with cognitive restructuring of the thoughts that led to these feelings and finally guided into constructive actions.Resources for PatientsClimate-oriented support groups• Climate Cafes• Good Grief Network• Carbon Conversations• Climate Awakening• The Work That Reconnects NetworkExamples of climate action organizations• Citizens Climate Lobby• 350.org• Natural Resources Defense Council• Sunrise Movement• Sierra ClubAdditional resources are posted on the Climate Psychiatry Alliance website.The stress of climate change may, in certain vulnerable individuals, lead to bona fide psychiatric conditions (especially generalized anxiety disorder or major depression). In such cases, significant impairing symptoms should be stabilized before beginning climate-oriented therapy.Help patients to shift from catastrophizing and enable them to see that, while there is a crisis, positive things happen at the same time. Reassure them that guilt about their individual contributions to global warming is universal and borne by everyone. Moreover, it is critical to acknowledge that the larger systems issues driving climate change, especially the fossil fuel industries that have created global warming and their decades of disinformation, far outweigh individuals’ contributions to the problems. Patients should be empathically assisted to process grief associated with climate change. They should also be helped to see that current anxiety and grief may be an anticipation of future losses.Encourage patients to feel hopeful about the future. Help them to believe that what we can do today is necessary, even though we may not know how, when, or for whom it will matter, and that the future is open and uncertain. Educate them about the concept that small actions sometimes have profound effects in complex systems.Emphasize the value of developing effective coping strategies in the face of stress and the importance of self-care. Inform them that stress and trauma impact the mind and body and that anxiety can lead to neural and hormonal changes that affect the entire body, including muscles, sensation, the cardiovascular system, the gut, the reproductive system, and immunity. Caution them about substance use and other maladaptive behaviors that can heighten negative feelings.Many techniques that alleviate anxiety and stress work with climate anxiety and distress. Deep breathing, progressive muscular relaxation, meditation, guided imagery, and mindfulness techniques are useful tools. They help individuals relax, stay grounded in the present, and observe their thoughts and reactions to situations. Assertiveness training is also helpful.Healthy lifestyles promote resilience. Teach patients about the value of healthy diets, regular exercise, and the need for sufficient sleep. Being more involved in outdoor physical activities and taking time to be in contact with and appreciate the beauty of nature is rejuvenating and induces hope. Holding some therapy sessions outdoors can facilitate this.Exploring patients’ strengths and ways they have managed adversity in the past can demonstrate their internal capacity to face present and future challenges. Encourage them to draw upon and strengthen their spiritual beliefs. Creative expression of eco-anxiety through art and writing is helpful.The existence of strong social supports is extremely important. Help them identify and strengthen close connections with family, friends, and neighbors. If these are lacking, help them identify new sources of social support. Some climate-oriented support groups, which may prove useful, are listed in the box at left.The most effective method to reduce anxiety and depression and sustain hope in the face of the climate crisis is to engage in purposeful action within one’s community and take individual action. The latter includes reducing fossil fuel use, making homes more energy efficient, and shifting to diets that are more plant based.Groups that are welcoming and involved in a range of climate-improving activities are listed in the box. Purposeful action need not be centered exclusively on climate activities. Helping others in any fashion is likely to improve one’s sense of self, hope, and well-being.Following a successful course of climate-focused therapy, a patient can productively deal with climate stresses and use them to increase meaning, purpose, and hope. Ideally, people should be able to make the following three statements: I understand how trauma and stress affect my mind and body. I have skills, a social support network, and other resources I can use in the face of adversity to calm myself and find new meaning and purpose. I accept the complexity of current world conditions and am committed to using my skills and resources to help others and to preserve the environment. ■Robert Feder, M.D., is a psychiatrist in New Hampshire and the APA representative to the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health. ISSUES NewArchived

As the environmental consequences of climate change continue to expand across international boundaries, many nations in the industrialized and developing world are struggling to find ways to cope with the onslaught of adverse social effects caused by this unprecedented phenomenon. Research spearheaded by environmental organizations such as the United Nations and other government-backed climate monitoring agencies suggests that the ecological disruptions caused by the dramatic shift in global weather patterns is one of the primary factors driving the escalation of mass migration and human population displacement in many parts of the civilized world. This chapter will examine the social, economic, and political issues associated with climate-induced migration in the United States and abroad. It will analyze how this phenomenon influences the development of climate policy capable of assisting vulnerable nations worldwide to implement strategic measures that will enable them to resolve the complex national security and border immigration issues associated with the climate crisis.

This paper aims to lay out the challenges and potentially fatal conflicts inherent in the emerging attempts to respect state sovereignty while crafting progressive and truly responsive sets of approaches to a sui generis global problem like the climate crisis. It examines general approaches and practices on climate refugees within the scope of a critical legal framework, taking as an example the ‘Ioane Teitiota’ case that attracted public attention as an international issue starting in 2013. In addition, we will examine from a legal viewpoint and with an eye to future consequences, the January 2020 United Nations’ historical decision on climate refugees. We adopt Martti Koskennimi’s terms, ascending and descending justifications, to show the oscillation that the legal mind experiences in between order and will. In this paper, we will claim that the legal mind fights a battle that eventually ends up with a deadlock due to the very structure of modern law.