Nicholas Mbillo, an expert in peacebuilding and community development, offers valuable insights into the concept of climate resilience. In an exclusive interview, Mbilo delves into the key characteristics of a climate-resilient community, the importance of measurement and assessment, and the dire consequences of neglecting climate resilience.
Defining Climate Resilience in Peacebuilding
Mbilo defines climate resilience in the context of peacebuilding and community development as a community’s ability to anticipate, adapt to, and recover from climate change impacts while maintaining social cohesion and sustainable resource management. This multifaceted definition underscores the interconnectedness of climate resilience, peace, and community development.
Key Characteristics of a Climate-Resilient Community
According to Mbilo, climate-resilient communities possess several essential characteristics:
Adaptive capacity: This is a critical component of climate resilience, enabling communities, organizations, and individuals to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to climate change impacts effectively. This involves forecasting potential risks, developing strategies to reduce vulnerability, and taking immediate action to mitigate the impacts of climate-related events.
Diverse livelihoods: These are essential for building climate resilience. A diversified economy, where communities rely on multiple sources of income, can better withstand shocks and stresses related to climate change. This can include diversifying agricultural production, developing alternative livelihoods such as tourism or handicrafts, and investing in climate-resilient industries. By reducing dependence on a single economic activity, communities can become more resilient to climate-related disasters and other challenges.
Also read: Cultivating Resilience: Kenya’s Climate-Smart Agriculture Revolution
Effective governance: This is essential for building climate resilience. Strong and inclusive governance structures that promote equitable access to resources and decision-making processes can help communities better prepare for and respond to climate change impacts. Good governance ensures that resources are allocated fairly, that decision-making is transparent and accountable, and that the needs of all community members are considered. This can help to build trust, reduce conflict, and strengthen social cohesion, all of which are essential for effective climate adaptation.
Strong social networks: These are essential for building climate resilience. Cohesive social networks that provide support, resilience, and a sense of belonging during times of crisis can help communities to cope with the challenges of climate change. Social networks can provide access to information, resources, and support, as well as opportunities for collective action. Strong social bonds can also help to build trust, reduce conflict, and promote cooperation, all of which are essential for effective climate adaptation.
Sustainable resource management: This is crucial for climate resilience. It ensures resources are used efficiently and equitably, helping communities adapt to climate change and reduce vulnerability. Practices include efficient water use, sustainable agriculture, and ecosystem conservation. This approach reduces reliance on unsustainable practices, combats climate change, and guarantees resources for future generations.
Access to risk knowledge and early warning systems: This is essential for building climate resilience. Information and tools that enable communities to prepare for and respond to climate-related hazards can help to reduce vulnerability and mitigate the impacts of disasters. This includes access to weather forecasts, climate models, and early warning systems for extreme events such as floods, droughts, and storms. By being informed and prepared, communities can take proactive measures to protect themselves and their assets from climate change impacts.
Also read: Accelerating Environmental Sustainability
Measuring Climate Resilience
To assess the level of climate resilience in different regions or sectors, Mbilo suggests a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Vulnerability assessments evaluate community susceptibility to climate change, livelihood diversification indices measure the resilience of community livelihoods, resource management indicators assess the sustainability of resource management practices, community adaptive capacity surveys gather data on adaptive strategies, and resilience scorecards provide comprehensive frameworks for measuring progress in building climate resilience.
“Measuring community resilience is quite pivotal since it helps in understanding how much a community is prepared to deal with climate-related shocks,” says Mbillo.
The Risks of Neglecting Climate Resilience
Mbilo warns of the dire consequences of neglecting climate resilience. Increased conflict over resources, livelihood loss, environmental degradation, migration, and higher long-term economic costs are potential outcomes. As climate change exacerbates resource scarcity, conflicts may intensify. Climate-related disasters can disrupt livelihoods, leading to poverty and food insecurity. Environmental degradation, such as deforestation, desertification, and biodiversity loss, can accelerate due to climate change. Climate-induced displacement can lead to large-scale migration and social instability. The economic costs of climate disasters, including infrastructure damage, healthcare expenses, and lost productivity, can be substantial.
Priorities in Climate Resilience
Key areas identified in the transition to more climate resilience include flood and drought management, water resource management, disaster management, and climate governance. The identification of priorities is first primed on proper water resource management followed closely by climate governance, largely due to the foundational role that the two play in addressing the broader impacts of climate change. Water resource management is a focal point because climate change is predominantly influenced by varying levels of water availability- at extremes a drought or a flood. More importantly, water is a shared resource across climate sectors like health, energy, and agriculture and its mismanagement can exacerbate vulnerabilities. Climate governance ensures that the laws and policies related to water resource management are practical and implemented through proper coordination and inclusivity.
In conclusion, building climate resilience is essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability and well-being of communities. By understanding the key characteristics of a climate-resilient community and adopting effective measurement and assessment tools, we can take proactive steps to mitigate the impacts of climate change and create a more resilient future for all.