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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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Emerald Publishing
2018-12-01
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Series: | International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management |
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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. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:49:27Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-f6192582501f4a699911e97c4d4e0a25 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1756-8692 1756-8706 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:49:27Z |
publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
publisher | Emerald Publishing |
record_format | Article |
series | International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management |
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 |