It is widely known that Africa is more vulnerable to climate change and climate variability than any other continent due its low adaptive capacity. Africa’s major economic sectors are vulnerable to current climate sensitivity, with huge economic impacts, and this vulnerability is exacerbated by existing developmental challenges suh as endemic poverty, complex governance and institutional dimensions; limited access to capital, including markets, infrastructure and technology; ecosystem degradation; and complex disasters and conflicts. These in turn have contributed to Africa’s weak adaptive capacity, increasing the continent’s vulnerability to projected climate change (Boko, Niang et all).
Franziska Maanke – Fellowship Awardee 2009
At the conclusion of the seminar for the adaptation to climate change fellowships of 2007 it was noted that many rural and indigenous communities in Africa are actually putting into place initiatives to adapt to climate change. However, many of these communities are not being identified nor are they sharing the lessons they are learning. It was therefore felt that a global mapping of communities needed to be commenced. There was wide agreement among seminar participants that the work undertaken to date should be deepened, widened, made publicly accessible, and that links should be created with other organisations and initiatives in the field. The point was well made that it is the poorest and most vulnerable individuals and communities in rural areas that suffer most from climate change impacts, and that some of these may well have the least capacity to adapt to those impacts. Therefore it is hoped that by continuing to work through the theme of ‘Rural Community Adaptation to Climate Change’ the Trust would also be dealing with issues of how to tackle rural poverty.
