A5074173872- Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
- Climate change impacts on agriculture
- Agricultural risk and resilience
- Disaster Management and Resilience
- Urban and Rural Development Challenges
- Flood Risk Assessment and Management
- Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration
- Water resources management and optimization
- Water Governance and Infrastructure
- Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy
- Climate Change Communication and Perception
- demographic modeling and climate adaptation
- Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare
- Innovation and Socioeconomic Development
- Agricultural Innovations and Practices
- HIV/AIDS Impact and Responses
- Community Development and Social Impact
- Environmental Education and Sustainability
- Climate variability and models
- Innovative Approaches in Technology and Social Development
- Supply Chain Resilience and Risk Management
- Complex Systems and Decision Making
- Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Urban Agriculture and Sustainability
- Environmental and Social Impact Assessments
University of Cape Town
2015-2024
International Geographical Union
2015-2024
South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative
2020-2024
University of Washington
2021
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
2019
University of Waterloo
2013
Stockholm Environment Institute
2003-2010
Analysis Group (United States)
2008
University of Oxford
2001
Miller, F., H. Osbahr, E. Boyd, F. Thomalla, S. Bharwani, G. Ziervogel, B. Walker, J. Birkmann, Van der Leeuw, Rockström, Hinkel, T. Downing, C. Folke, and D. Nelson 2010. Resilience vulnerability: complementary or conflicting concepts?. Ecology Society 15(3): 11. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-03378-150311
In this paper we review current approaches and recent advances in research on climate impacts adaptation South Africa. Africa has a well‐developed earth system science program that underpins the change scenarios developed for southern African region. Established biophysical of key sectors (water, agriculture, biodiversity) integrates but further is needed number areas, such as cities built environment. National government Climate Change Response White Paper, yet to translate into policy...
This paper reviews the current theoretical scholarship on maladaptation and provides some specific case studies—in Maldives, Ethiopia, South Africa, Bangladesh—to advance field by offering an improved conceptual understanding more practice‐oriented insights. It notably highlights four main dimensions to assess risk of maladaptation, that is, process, multiple drivers, temporal scales, spatial scales. also describes three examples frameworks—the Pathways , Precautionary Assessment...
Resilience building has become a growing policy agenda, particularly for urban risk management. While much of the resilience agenda been shaped by policies and discourses from global North, its applicability cities South, African cities, not sufficiently assessed. Focusing on rights citizens as object to be made resilient, rather than physical ecological infrastructures, may help address many root causes that characterize unacceptable risks residents face daily basis. Linked this idea, we...
Developing countries share many common challenges in addressing current and future climate risks. A key barrier to managing these risks is the limited availability of accessible, reliable relevant weather information. Despite continued investments Earth System Modelling, growing provision services across Africa India, there often remains a mismatch between available information what needed support on-the-ground decision-making. In this paper, we outline range currently present examples from...
Abstract The drought that drew the world's attention to Cape Town in early 2018 was worst on record, threatening cut off household taps for 4 million people. Even before drought, city's relation water complex; South Africa still struggles with legacy of racial inequality including its implications justice. Spatial and economic segregation people initiated when Europeans first settled culminated during apartheid era 1948–1994. It forcibly moved hundreds thousands “colored” “black” Capetonians...
In the context of global environmental change much hope is placed in ability resilience thinking to help address environment-related risks. Numerous initiatives aim at incorporating into urban planning practices. The purpose this paper open up a conversation on by unpacking how diverse science methods contribute production different narratives mobilizing experts and forms evidence. A number scholars have cautioned against uncritical approaches asked what means for whom, also pointing out...
Abstract Understanding of how best to support those most vulnerable climate stress is imperative given expected changes in variability. This paper investigates local adaptation strategies variability, focusing on agricultural decision‐making a communal irrigation scheme Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Research done through interviews, surveys and participatory methods demonstrates that within community are socially differentiated present differing objectives priorities....
Climate change increases the likelihood of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods and heat waves, well more gradual changes in temperature precipitation. The city Cape Town (South Africa) is at risk from projected climate-induced warming rainfall variability. This makes resource management infrastructure planning challenging urgency need to adapt city-level operations both current climate variability future change. To date, however, main focus adaptation has been nationallevel, not...
Abstract Climate change poses considerable challenges to food security. Adapting systems both enhance security for the poor and vulnerable prevent future negative impacts from climate will require attention more than just agricultural production. This article surveys multiple components of security, particularly those relating access utilization, which are threatened by complex responses change. Food can only be ensured enhanced with a suite interventions across activities, ranging...
The commitment to understanding the implications of a 1.5 °C global temperature warming limit has contributed growing realisation that transformative adaptation is necessary avoid catastrophic environmental and social consequences. This particularly case in urban settlements where disconnection from systems support life pervasive injustice inequality play out daily. paper argues order transform towards thriving social-ecological systems, capacity needs be strengthened. builds on rich...
AbstractMunicipalities represent a key opportunity for implementing local adaptation to the impacts of climate change. Most research has focused on barriers change adaptation, and little exists that considers conditions under which municipality is able initiate process mainstreaming adaptation. Through case study two municipalities in Western Cape South Africa, this paper identifies factors enable action be taken at government level. The presence dedicated environmental champions key,...
Resilience thinking has been roundly critiqued for not accounting the political – and inherently power-laden structures that shape decision-making. In light of range critiques as well increasing global momentum around resilience thinking, this paper develops concept 'Negotiated Resilience'. The highlights processes negotiation to situate, ground operationalise 'resilience'. puts particular accent on procedural orientation it is something 'exists' we can uniformly define, rather a process...
The intersecting challenges of urbanization, growing inequality, climate and environmental risk economic sustainability require new modes urban governance. Although the poor are increasingly recognized as needing to be part adaptation planning implementation, many governance arrangements fail explicitly include them. In order make more inclusive, transformative capacity is needed. Drawing on two case studies from different contexts in South Africa, this paper explores nature inclusive...
Calls for transformative adaptation to climate change require attention the type of capacity building that can support it. Community-level help ensure ownership and legitimacy longer-term interventions. Given marginalized communities are highly vulnerable risk, it is important build their adapt locally integrate perspectives into higher-level measures. Current policy does not pay sufficient this. Using a Cape Town-based project on water governance in low-income urban settlements, this paper...
Climate variability acutely affects rural livelihoods and agricultural productivity, yet it is just one of many stresses that vulnerable households have to cope with. A livelihood approach used assess the potential role seasonal climate forecasts might play in increasing adaptive capacity response variability, using Lesotho as a case study. An examination assets strategies employ enables holistic assessment impact could on livelihoods. This research thereby bridges macro‐level with...
Seasonal climate forecasts have been promoted as a means to increase the resilience of marginal groups in Africa. The manifestations this are still be seen. This paper argues that successful dissemination and adoption forecast requires an in‐depth profile characteristics needs user groups. case study mountainous village southern Lesotho is used highlight decisions which one group users – smallholder farmers might make response forecast. A participatory role‐play exercise explores what...
Climate change is expected to affect water supply if extreme climatic events and unpredictable rainfall patterns become more prevalent. Bulk infrastructure tends determine urban communities' vulnerability this be managed by the government. This suggests that adaptation will require government capacity commitment—often lacking in developing country context. article focuses on processes impeding facilitating climate within sector City of Cape Town, South Africa. The case study explores...
In this paper, we aim to investigate how local communities cope with and adapt multiple stresses in rural semiarid South Africa.In regions water scarcity is one of a number that shape livelihood vulnerability.With climate change, it predicted rainfall Africa will become more uncertain variable the future, exposing people insecurity.At same time, impacts disease, lack institutional capacity, limited opportunities can combine limit adaptive capacity.Therefore, adaptation changing should not be...