Climate Change Adaptive Capacity Research Articles

The effect of carbon farming training on food security and development resilience in Northern Ghana

ABSTRACT Carbon farming has recently been advocated for as climate change and variability mitigation and/or adaptation strategy in global agriculture. In this study, we address an important research question of whether carbon farming training can improve household resilience capacity as well as food security by employing internationally standardized indicators. Household resilience capacity and its components are measured using the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)’s resilience capacity index while the food security measures used include household and child food insecurity experience scale (FIES and CFIES), food consumption score (FCS) and household dietary diversity score (HDDS). We relied on doubly robust treatment effect estimators to account for potential selection bias and heterogeneity. We find that carbon farming training has no statistically significant effect on overall household resilience capacity. However, we find a large and statistically significant effect on key components of resilience (specifically, access to basic services, assets and social safety nets) and a marginal improvement in adaptive capacity. We also find statistically significant effect on FCS and HDDS but not for the other food security indicators (FIES and CFIES). Overall, the results suggest that agricultural training programs, particularly climate change adaptation capacity building initiatives, could improve important welfare measures in developing countries.

Local Context Capacity Building Needs for Climate Change Adaptation among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda: Policy and Practice Implications

Climate change impacts threaten sustainable development efforts. The magnitude of the impacts, however, varies with the socio-ecological characteristics of locations. This is the reason there is consensus on the necessity for climate change adaptive capacity building that is country driven, and based on, and responsive to, local needs. However, information on context specific capacity building needs in developing countries is not readily available. The objective of this study was to establish location specific awareness, training, educational research and technology capacity building needs for climate change adaptation among smallholder farmers in Uganda. Semi-structured questionnaires were used with 465 households from five agro-ecological zones, selected based on the level of vulnerability of agricultural systems to the main climate variation and change hazards. Results reveal substantial capacity building needs in all the zones. The majority of the farmers needed capacity building for interventions on soil-water conservation practices for adapting to drought and unpredictable rainfall. For all zones, education, research, and technology were perceived as key needs. However, the needs varied among zones. These results demonstrate the importance of context specificity in adaptation efforts. The study provides agro-ecological and social system specific information for climate change adaptation planning and policy interventions for effective capacity building.

Proklim Environmental Management Education in Cultivating Potential Organic Plants in Sidomulyo Timur Village

Climate change has a major impact on human health, food security, and economic development, so it is necessary to improve the ability to adapt to the impacts of climate change and a series of activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a form of mitigation of the impacts of climate change. The climate change control effort launched by the government is to encourage multi-stakeholder cooperation to strengthen climate change adaptation and mitigation capacity at the community-based site level through the implementation of the Climate Village Program (ProKlim). This writing aims to determine the application of environmental management education in potential organic plant cultivation activities in East Sidomulyo Village Especially Integrated Women Group (KWT) in Sidomulyo Timur. The method used in this service is a participatory method, which involves the community as a subject in development. The provision of seed houses to help the community and integrated women's groups in East Sidomulyo Village in organic plant cultivation activities provides many benefits from various economic, health, socio-cultural aspects of the community, and environmental sustainability.

For whom the bell tolls: Climate change and income inequality

Climate change is the defining challenge of our time with complex and evolving dynamics. The effects of climate change on economic output and financial stability have received considerable attention, but there has been much less focus on the relationship between climate change and income inequality. In this paper, we provide new evidence on the association between climate change and income inequality, using a large panel of 158 countries during the period 1995–2019. We find that an increase in climate change vulnerability is positively associated with rising income inequality. More interestingly, splitting the sample into country groups reveals a considerable contrast in the impact of climate change on income inequality. While climate change vulnerability has no statistically significant effect on income distribution in advanced economies, the coefficient on climate change vulnerability is seven times greater and statistically highly significant in the case of developing countries due largely to weaker capacity for climate change adaptation and mitigation. These findings are robust with alternative estimation methods and measures of income inequality, but it should be noted that the appropriate measurement of climate change vulnerability and resilience remains a challenge that imposes limits on empirical analysis.

Climate change adaptation and adaptive capacities of dairy farmers: Evidence from village tank cascade systems in Sri Lanka

CONTEXTDairy farmers are affected by climate change (CC). To reduce the negative effects of CC, farmers need to take numerous adaptive measures. The ability to adapt is context-specific and there is a dearth of research on the adaptation and adaptive capacity (AC) of dairy farmers in village tank cascade systems (VTCS). OBJECTIVEThe study investigates dairy farmers' perception of CC, their AC, adaptation, and the social and institutional drivers of AC and adaptation in the two selected VTCS in Sri Lanka. The knowledge of this is vital in planning specific interventions to enhance the climate resilience of farmers. METHODSThe level of CC adaptation and AC was measured using the Activity-based Adaptation Index and Adaptive Capacity Index. Using an ordered logistic regression model, the determinants of the CC adaptation were examined. Social dimensions of AC are studied by comparing AC scores across social groups differentiated by income and gender. Data were collected from 200 dairy farmers in two VTCS in the Anuradhapura District, North Central Province of Sri Lanka, where dairy farming is predominantly practiced. Pre-tested structured questionnaires were used for data collection. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONPasture shortage, reduction in milk yield, and growth retardation of animals are reported as perceived CC effects by a majority of dairy farmers. The adaptation strategies mostly implemented by dairy farmers are aimed at reducing the effects of CC on animal physiology. A lesser number of farmers implement adaptation strategies that address pasture shortages. Farmer's perception of CC, socioeconomic characteristics and resource endowment determine the level of adaptation, while the AC moderates the relationship between perception and response to CC. The institutional and social context in which dairy farmers operate differentiates the AC of farmers. Women and poorer farmers tend to have a lower AC. The difference in AC across these social groups is explained by access to resources. The study recommends interventions to address social gaps in AC and highlights the importance of strengthening and expanding extension services and rural credit facilities. SIGNIFICANCEGlobally, fewer studies have been conducted on the impacts of climate-related risks on dairy farming systems and adaptation in comparison with such risks and adaptation in crop farming. This study provides insights into resource-poor dairy farmers' responses to CC and potential solutions in using common resources in VTCS to reduce vulnerability to CC.

Geospatial assessment of intrinsic resilience to the climate change for the central coast of Bangladesh

Climate change resilience not only depends on the physiographic properties, but also the socio-economic status of the people. Considering climate change resilience as a socio-ecological construct, few attempts have been taken to measure resilience across the space, especially at national and community scales. There is a paucity of research that contributes to the spatial understanding of climate change resilience at local level from the system approach. This study aims to provide an assessable means through an analytical geospatial exercise of intrinsic resilience of a socio-ecological system in the context of climate change scenario. Due to the unique physiographic and geomorphological characteristics, the central coast of Bangladesh has already been termed as one of the most climate change vulnerable hotspots by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Therefore, it demands a comprehensive assessment in terms of climate change vulnerability, adaptive capacity and resilience. We investigated the intrinsic resilience of this region by adopting Climate Change Resilience of Place (C-CROP) model. This study is the first attempt to the implication of the C-CROP model in real world scenario. Remote Sensing based earth observation, census, and ancillary data were in the centre of the investigation while Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was employed to select and weigh bottom level indicators. 20 adaptive capacity indicators and 17 vulnerability indicators were selected in this regard. Using PCA, 37 indicators are reduced to 5 adaptive capacity and 3 vulnerability principal components which explain 73.81% and 79.17% variance in the data respectively. Quantification and mapping of intrinsic resilience through geospatial approach using Google Earth Engine (GEE) provide useful data that show how intrinsic resilience is spatially distributed in the most vulnerable hotspot in the climate change context. The findings of the study can contribute to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction programs to sustainably allocate limited resources and set priority interventions in order to build vulnerable communities resilient in changing climatic scenario.

A Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Design Framework: The Case of Small-scale Farmers in Western Honduras

Climate change is now affecting every known society. Small-scale farmers in low-income countries are especially vulnerable to climate change because they depend heavily on rain, seasonality patterns, and known temperature ranges. Prioritizing the efforts of building climate change resilience and adaptive capacity for small-scale farmers is essential in achieving Sustainable Development Goals 13, 1, and 2. An important first step towards those efforts is to assess the climate change vulnerability among the population. We propose a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Framework Design Framework (CCVA-DF) to guide the design of innovative digital CCVA solutions to enhance the adaptive capacity and climate change resilience of small-scale farmers. The framework outlines modern methods for vulnerability data collection and processing through Remote Sensing and GIS, advanced spatial analysis and modeling for measuring vulnerabilities, and visual analytics to support decision-making in the planning and implementation of suitable interventions. The framework is instantiated into a web application that is used by a real-world organization for transforming household resilience in Western Honduras. The CCVA-DF showcases novel measures of vulnerability using geospatial technology. It provides guidelines to design digital vulnerability assessment tools that can be used by researchers and practitioners worldwide to tackle climate change challenges.

“A heart attack away from boarding up Main Street”: How neoliberalization of farming shapes adaptive capacity to climate change in rural and small-town Saskatchewan, Canada

Research shows that climate change vulnerability is constituted not only by exposure to adverse climate conditions, but also by social and economic factors. Even for areas that currently have limited exposure, social and economic structures have a role in shaping adaptive capacity. Focusing on two rural municipalities in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, this study explores how social and economic trends, identified as the neoliberalization of farming, have affected adaptive capacity to climate change in one of Canada's primary agricultural regions. Using interview data and participant observation, this study explores farm consolidation, patterns of consequent depopulation and weakened infrastructure, and how these realities operate in conjunction with disaster exposure to create conditions of reduced adaptive capacity, ultimately increasing vulnerability for small prairie communities. This research makes a contribution toward linking climate change adaptive capacity to broader patterns of neoliberalization in agriculture using empirical qualitative data.

Adapting to a changing climate: indigenous biotic rainfall forecasting in Western Zambia.

Forecasting rainfall at the local scale to inform farm-level decisions is complex and it remains an unresolved problem with dire implications for food security. Here, we examine indigenous knowledge forecasting systems used by smallholder farmers in Maondo Agriculture Camp (MAC) of Sesheke District in the Western Province of Zambia to increase their climate change adaptive capacity at the farm level. We adopted a qualitative approach that uses an exploratory-descriptive design. We then used purposive sampling, a non-probability methodological approach, to choose respondents. We applied semi-structured interviews and questionnaires as data collection tools and examined the data using thematic content analysis. We found that > 50% of small-scale farmers receive forecasts produced by the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) through stakeholders' meetings. Farmers who do not receive ZMD forecasts depend on indigenous knowledge systems. Results further indicate that farmers in the MAC combine several indicators to predict rainfall. Prominent among them include plants, weather-related parameters, and astrological indicators. A cursory inspection of these rainfall predictors revealed several points specifically highlighting three salient thematic contents, i.e. biological, meteorological, and astrological. Results further showed that both conventional science and indigenous knowledge used to forecast rainfall have strengths and weaknesses. We, therefore, conclude that the integration of the two methods has the potential to significantly improve rainfall forecasts and ultimately agricultural productivity at the farm level.

EU와 미국의 탄소국경조정제도

This study is to measure the impact of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism by the European Union and the United States on South Korea. Five products of the EU CBAM are selected for this analysis: iron and steel, organic chemicals, plastic, aluminum, and cement. To evaluate the impact, this paper used carbon intensity, export value, and carbon emission price data. The additional burden on the products is expected to cost 531 billion KRW by the EU CBAM implementation. In the case of the US implementation, the additional burden is expected to reach 214 billion KRW when the social cost of carbon(SCC) is used for the carbon price. These estimates are different from the results of previous studies, as the calculation in this study is based on HS codes. In fact, the estimates are larger than previous results, since the gap between carbon prices has grown in recent months. Among products, iron and steel products bear the largest proportion of the burden. However, the influence of the CBAM may become more extensive with an extended range of products and an increased price of carbon emissions. In order to respond to the CBAM effectively, it is necessary for the government to stimulate the de-carbonization of industry and incentivize investment in renewable energy. Corporations are also required to actively invest in low-carbon technologies and improve the capacity for climate change adaptation.

Climate Change and Wetlands in the Southern Great Plains: How Are Managers Dealing with an Uncertain Future?

Little guidance is available to assist wetland managers in developing climate adaptation plans. To facilitate development of recommendations for adaptation strategies, it is essential to first determine if or how wetland managers are addressing these challenges. We used an online survey to solicit feedback from wetland managers and biologists in the Southern Great Plains of North America to gain information on perceptions of wetland managers regarding climate change; assess how the effects of climate change are being addressed through management; and identify barriers to implementing climate change adaptation. The majority of wetland managers (63%) agreed they are currently experiencing effects of climate change in wetlands, and most respondents (76%) reported that changes in the timing of water availability throughout the year was the most likely impact. Managers reported using a diversity of approaches in managing for changing precipitation, with management of native and invasive plant species being the two most common practices. Lack of funding and personnel were the most commonly identified factors limiting manager's response to changing precipitation patterns. In addition, >50% of managers indicated uncertainty about the effects of climate change on wetlands as a barrier to management, which may relate to limited access to peer-reviewed science. While most of the management practices reported were short-term measures and may not reflect long-term adaptation for climate change, the fact that many managers are considering climate change in their management suggests that there is considerable opportunities to continue developing capacity for climate change adaptation in the region.

THỰC TRẠNG NĂNG LỰC GIẢM THIỂU RỦI RO THIÊN TAI VÀ THÍCH ỨNG VỚI BIẾN ĐỔI KHÍ HẬU CỦA HỌC SINH TRUNG HỌC CƠ SỞ HUYỆN SÌN HỒ, TỈNH LAI CHÂU

Using the sociological investigation method, the authors conducted a survey on the status of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation capacity of 138 secondary school pupils in Sin Ho district, Lai Chau province. The result shows that the capacity of the pupils is very limited. None of the pupils were assessed at very good and good level. There are 6 pupils (accounting for 4.3%) were assessed at fairly good level, 116 pupils (84.1%) were assessed at medium level and 16 pupils (11.6%) were assessed at less good level. The average score of capacity of 138 pupils was only medium level (73.7 points). The capacity of pupils by school, class, gender and ethnicity did not differ much. The research results can be a useful reference for secondary schools and local authorities in implementing solutions to improve disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation capacity for pupils.

Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Low-Regret Measure for Climate Change Adaptation: Insights from Los Arenales, Spain

In view of heightened climate change (CC), adaptation strategies are imperative to diminish the impacts on social and environmental assets. Two approaches are commonly used to formulate adaptation measures, namely bottom-up and top-down, each with inherited limitations. A sound bridge between both approaches is low-regret adaptive measures, which result in win-win scenarios, as they provide solutions to current pressures and contribute to building CC adaptive capacity. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a term that includes a series of techniques that enhance groundwater storage for later use or environmental purposes. MAR is often mentioned in the literature as a CC adaptation measure. Nonetheless, few examples explicitly prove this point. We show through the Los Arenales MAR systems (Central Spain) that MAR is a low-regret CC adaptive measure. We evaluate a series of social and environmental challenges that MAR systems contribute to solving, as well as their attributes that diminish the expected impacts of CC in the study area. MAR in the Los Arenales groundwater body has resulted in an overall increase in groundwater levels; a reduction in groundwater pumping energy and costs and CO2 emissions; restoration of a surface water body; improvement in rural population indexes; and enhanced groundwater demand control and CC adaptive capacity through irrigation communities. To cope with CC, the Los Arenales MAR systems can be operated even if decreasing streamflow precludes the use of river water surpluses; they provide surface storage volume to mitigate flooding; and they decrease the impacts of droughts and water scarcity. This research proves that MAR is a water management tool capable of providing solutions to several pressures simultaneously in the present and future, an attribute particularly useful when dealing with adaptation gaps in developing countries, rural areas, or regions lacking long-term climatic data.

Raising concepts and awareness of sustainability and the environment in higher education through French foreign language teaching: a multidisciplinary didactic proposal

Abstract Our society is affected by the climate crisis, which is largely a consequence of human activity. For this reason, the education and awareness of society plays a fundamental role. Spain and Andalusia are committed to the 17 sustainable development goals established by the United Nations and their fulfilment by 2030, representing an important part of the Challenges of Andalusian Society (CAS). One of the goals to be achieved is to “improve education, awareness and human and institutional capacity for climate change mitigation, adaptation and early warning”. Education and environmental awareness in relation to CAS remain one of the main challenges, especially in foreign language teaching and learning. By means of an innovative educational strategy, this project aims to address four CAS in university language learning/teaching of French as a foreign language (FFL): 1. Climate action, environment, resource and raw material efficiency, 2. Smart, green and integrated transport, 3. Safe, clean and efficient energy, and 4. Health, demographic change and social well-being. The aim is to train and raise awareness of key concepts among undergraduate students through the integration of the CAS as didactic units in FFL subjects of the Bachelor’s Degree in French Studies at the University of Granada (Spain). This project may well have a positive impact on the environmental attitude, interest and motivation of students towards the CAS and the acquisition of linguistic competences in the French language.

Climate change risk reduction in cultural landscapes: Insights from Cinque Terre and Waterloo

The risks posed by climate change are becoming an increasingly significant threat to land use and the socio-ecological system of many cultural landscapes. Despite substantial efforts to assess the vulnerability of cultural landscapes, building climate change adaptation capacity through participatory and integrated approaches has received less attention in landscape planning studies. Here, we assert that strengthening local community participation in regional planning is needed to support the sustainable management of cultural landscapes in a changing climate. We first identify fundamental determinants that affect local community involvement in cultural heritage conservation practices. Then, we apply these principles to analyze the adaptation planning processes in the cultural landscapes of Cinque Terre (Italy) and the Region of Waterloo (Canada). The findings suggest that although local community engagement is essential for building climate adaptation in cultural landscapes, decision-makers need improved strategies to integrate climate change policies into regional plans.

Farmers’ climate change risk perception, adaptation capacity and barriers to adaptation: a multi-method approach

Farmers’ climate change risk perception, adaptation capacity and barriers to adaptation: a multi-method approach

Accelerating Climate Change Adaptive Capacity Through Regional Sustained Assessment and Evaluation in Hawai‘i and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands

As the impacts and risks from climate change increase, the climate assessment landscape has expanded in scope and application, resulting in the desire for more information relevant to local decision-making. Some regions lack detailed climate projections and a body of consensus findings about sector-specific impacts, and there is a need for actionable, culturally cognizant, translated climate information suitable for integration into operations and management, budgeting, funding proposals, and domestic and international policy. The Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment, or PIRCA, is the subject of this decade-long case study illustrating the need, development, and benefit of creating and sustaining a nuanced, collaborative, and deliberately inclusive climate assessment effort among researchers and practitioners in Hawai‘i and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI). Using external evaluations done in 2013 and 2021, and our observations as participants in the process, we describe regional adaptive capacity challenges—an important component of the decision context for PIRCA stakeholders—and analyze the role of the PIRCA network in accelerating climate adaptation. We also examine how regional and national assessments complement each other, and how assessment processes can aid in translation to sub-national decision making across the climate science-policy interface. Results reveal components of the PIRCA that are foundational to its effectiveness: framing climate information in human and decision-centric ways; use of inclusive and non-extractive methods; willingness to shift approaches to meet stakeholder objectives; leveraging the resources of the Pacific Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) and other boundary organizations; taking the time to build relationships; and creating a dedicated position to sustain collaborations and relationships within the region and at larger assessment scales. Our experience and the feedback received through the evaluation suggest that these lessons are transferable to other regions and scales, and that sustained and collaborative regional climate assessments can serve a key function in complementing major national and international assessments, by translating and more effectively targeting information to meet local needs in support of regional climate adaptation and policymaking.

Floristic diversity and plant composition of the arid and Saharan zones of southern Tunisia

Spontaneous plants in arid and desert areas of Tunisia are now experiencing a resurgence of interest not only because of the possibilities of their use for multiple economic and ecological purposes, but also because of their great capacity for potential climate change adaptation. Often considered underused and neglected species, plants in arid and desert areas are of considerable importance. The purpose of this work is to provide knowledge relating to flora and Tunisian vegetation in arid zones. They are structured around various aspects relating to the characterization of this natural and biological wealth and its impact on the quality of the environment. In this work, we studied the flora of the different regions visited (Tataouine, Medenine, Tozeur, Gabes and Kebeli) in southern Tunisia and we surveyed the botanical composition and species diversity in the governorate of Tataouine region during the spring season of 2018. The flora contained about 279 species belonging to 58 families, with 54% annuals and 46% perennials.

An Assessment of Farmers’ Perception and Adaptive Capacity for Climate Change

In the past decades, various regions in U.P. had experienced severe floods. The effects of climate change also affected agricultural production. This study investigated the farmers' perception of climate change and suggested strategies for mitigating its effects using a primary survey with the help of a pre-structured schedule. Change in rainfall pattern, problems in seed quality, the emergence of new pests and diseases, changes in the crop cycle were the few effects that farmers' perceived due to climate change. Even the most mitigation efforts by the farmers cannot prevent some of the impacts of climate change within the following decades. It makes adaptation a must-have for addressing these impacts.

Strengthening Climate Change Adaptive Capacity of Rural Women Crop Farmers through Reduced Social Exclusion in Nigeria

Climate change has continued to exert devastating effects on the Nigerian agricultural sector. Consequently, several efforts are made to adapt the agricultural sector to these effects of climate change, but the expected results are yet to be achieved. Much of the research on challenges to climate change adaptation were done without considering gender perspective. This review in effort to contribute to addressing this gap reviewed 1.) the climate change adaptation strategies used by rural women crop farmers in Nigeria, 2.) challenges to climate change adaptation among rural women crop farmers and 3.) social exclusion and influence on agricultural activities and climate change adaptation among rural women crop farmers in Nigeria. The study further suggests ways of eradicating social exclusion of rural women farmers with a view to strengthen their climate change adaptive capacity in the country. From the lessons highlighted, suggestions are made to make adaptation to climate change more gender-responsive, effective, and successful.