Understanding community vulnerability to climate change and variability at a coastal municipality in southern Mozambique

Purpose - This paper aims to understand the vulnerability of community livelihoods (human, social, financial, natural and physical assets) at a coastal environment in southern Mozambique, considering the level of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity to climate change. Design/methodology/appro...

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Main Author: Daniel Augusta Zacarias
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Emerald Publishing 2018-12-01
Series:International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/IJCCSM-07-2017-0145
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author Daniel Augusta Zacarias
author_facet Daniel Augusta Zacarias
author_sort Daniel Augusta Zacarias
collection DOAJ
description Purpose - This paper aims to understand the vulnerability of community livelihoods (human, social, financial, natural and physical assets) at a coastal environment in southern Mozambique, considering the level of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity to climate change. Design/methodology/approach - The study adopted the sustainable livelihoods approach. Data were collected through distribution of a structured questionnaire to 476 randomly selected households at the municipality of Inhambane. The questionnaire assessed all capital assets, covering 14 indicators and 43 sub-indicators of vulnerability, derived from published literature. Findings - Results indicate that overall community vulnerability is largely derived from the vulnerability of physical, financial and social capitals, illustrated by declared food shortage, low nutrition levels, weak social networks, high level of biomass utilization and lack of financial resources due to unemployment. These aspects largely influence the noticed reduced adaptive capacity of surveyed households. Practical implications - The study identified the need to improve the overall process of natural resources appropriation and utilization and the improvement of the governance capacity at the local targeting infrastructure, community structure and networks and capacity building that might enhance community livelihoods in changing scenarios. Originality/value - The study is a contribution to the overall understanding of how livelihoods are exposed to climate change and variability in coastal settings.
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spelling doaj.art-f6192582501f4a699911e97c4d4e0a252022-12-22T03:58:38ZengEmerald PublishingInternational Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management1756-86921756-87062018-12-0111115417610.1108/IJCCSM-07-2017-0145610837Understanding community vulnerability to climate change and variability at a coastal municipality in southern MozambiqueDaniel Augusta Zacarias0Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo de Inhambane, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, MozambiquePurpose - This paper aims to understand the vulnerability of community livelihoods (human, social, financial, natural and physical assets) at a coastal environment in southern Mozambique, considering the level of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity to climate change. Design/methodology/approach - The study adopted the sustainable livelihoods approach. Data were collected through distribution of a structured questionnaire to 476 randomly selected households at the municipality of Inhambane. The questionnaire assessed all capital assets, covering 14 indicators and 43 sub-indicators of vulnerability, derived from published literature. Findings - Results indicate that overall community vulnerability is largely derived from the vulnerability of physical, financial and social capitals, illustrated by declared food shortage, low nutrition levels, weak social networks, high level of biomass utilization and lack of financial resources due to unemployment. These aspects largely influence the noticed reduced adaptive capacity of surveyed households. Practical implications - The study identified the need to improve the overall process of natural resources appropriation and utilization and the improvement of the governance capacity at the local targeting infrastructure, community structure and networks and capacity building that might enhance community livelihoods in changing scenarios. Originality/value - The study is a contribution to the overall understanding of how livelihoods are exposed to climate change and variability in coastal settings.https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/IJCCSM-07-2017-0145Climate changeSustainable livelihoodsAdaptation to climate changeCommunity livelihoodsLivelihoods vulnerability index
spellingShingle Daniel Augusta Zacarias
Understanding community vulnerability to climate change and variability at a coastal municipality in southern Mozambique
International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management
Climate change
Sustainable livelihoods
Adaptation to climate change
Community livelihoods
Livelihoods vulnerability index
title Understanding community vulnerability to climate change and variability at a coastal municipality in southern Mozambique
title_full Understanding community vulnerability to climate change and variability at a coastal municipality in southern Mozambique
title_fullStr Understanding community vulnerability to climate change and variability at a coastal municipality in southern Mozambique
title_full_unstemmed Understanding community vulnerability to climate change and variability at a coastal municipality in southern Mozambique
title_short Understanding community vulnerability to climate change and variability at a coastal municipality in southern Mozambique
title_sort understanding community vulnerability to climate change and variability at a coastal municipality in southern mozambique
topic Climate change
Sustainable livelihoods
Adaptation to climate change
Community livelihoods
Livelihoods vulnerability index
url https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/IJCCSM-07-2017-0145
work_keys_str_mv AT danielaugustazacarias understandingcommunityvulnerabilitytoclimatechangeandvariabilityatacoastalmunicipalityinsouthernmozambique