Archetypes of Climate-Risk Profiles among Rural Households in Limpopo, South Africa

More frequent and intense climate hazards, a predicted outcome of climate change, are likely to threaten existing livelihoods in rural communities, undermining households’ adaptive capacity. To support households’ efforts to manage and reduce this risk, there is a need to better understand the heter...

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Main Authors: Paumgarten, F., Locatelli, Bruno, Witkowski, E.T.F.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: American Meteorological Society 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/112839
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author Paumgarten, F.
Locatelli, Bruno
Witkowski, E.T.F.
author_browse Locatelli, Bruno
Paumgarten, F.
Witkowski, E.T.F.
author_facet Paumgarten, F.
Locatelli, Bruno
Witkowski, E.T.F.
author_sort Paumgarten, F.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description More frequent and intense climate hazards, a predicted outcome of climate change, are likely to threaten existing livelihoods in rural communities, undermining households’ adaptive capacity. To support households’ efforts to manage and reduce this risk, there is a need to better understand the heterogeneity of risk within and between communities. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change revised their climate vulnerability framework to incorporate the concept of risk. This study contributes toward the operationalization of this updated framework by applying a recognized methodology to the analysis of the climate-related risk of rural households. Using a mixed-method approach, including a cluster analysis, it determined and assessed archetypical patterns of household risk. The approach was applied to 170 households in two villages, in different agroecological zones, in the Vhembe District Municipality of South Africa’s Limpopo Province. Six archetypical climate-risk profiles were identified based on differences in the core components of risk, namely, the experience of climate hazards, the degree of exposure and vulnerability, and the associated impacts. The method’s application is illustrated by interpreting the six profiles, with possible adaptation pathways suggested for each. The archetypes show how climate-related risk varies according to households’ livelihood strategies and capital endowments. There are clear site-related distinctions between the risk profiles; however, the age of the household and the gender of the household head also differentiate the profiles. These different profiles suggest the need for adaptation responses that account for these site-related differences, while still recognizing the heterogeneity of risk at the village level.
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spelling CGSpace1128392025-02-19T13:42:25Z Archetypes of Climate-Risk Profiles among Rural Households in Limpopo, South Africa Paumgarten, F. Locatelli, Bruno Witkowski, E.T.F. risk assessment climate change adaptation livelihoods More frequent and intense climate hazards, a predicted outcome of climate change, are likely to threaten existing livelihoods in rural communities, undermining households’ adaptive capacity. To support households’ efforts to manage and reduce this risk, there is a need to better understand the heterogeneity of risk within and between communities. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change revised their climate vulnerability framework to incorporate the concept of risk. This study contributes toward the operationalization of this updated framework by applying a recognized methodology to the analysis of the climate-related risk of rural households. Using a mixed-method approach, including a cluster analysis, it determined and assessed archetypical patterns of household risk. The approach was applied to 170 households in two villages, in different agroecological zones, in the Vhembe District Municipality of South Africa’s Limpopo Province. Six archetypical climate-risk profiles were identified based on differences in the core components of risk, namely, the experience of climate hazards, the degree of exposure and vulnerability, and the associated impacts. The method’s application is illustrated by interpreting the six profiles, with possible adaptation pathways suggested for each. The archetypes show how climate-related risk varies according to households’ livelihood strategies and capital endowments. There are clear site-related distinctions between the risk profiles; however, the age of the household and the gender of the household head also differentiate the profiles. These different profiles suggest the need for adaptation responses that account for these site-related differences, while still recognizing the heterogeneity of risk at the village level. 2020-07-01 2021-03-08T08:59:20Z 2021-03-08T08:59:20Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/112839 en Open Access American Meteorological Society Paumgarten, F., Locatelli, B., Witkowski, E.T.F. 2020. Archetypes of Climate-Risk Profiles among Rural Households in Limpopo, South Africa. Weather, Climate and Society, 12(3): 545-560, https://doi.org/10.1175/WCAS-D-19-0134.1
spellingShingle risk assessment
climate change adaptation
livelihoods
Paumgarten, F.
Locatelli, Bruno
Witkowski, E.T.F.
Archetypes of Climate-Risk Profiles among Rural Households in Limpopo, South Africa
title Archetypes of Climate-Risk Profiles among Rural Households in Limpopo, South Africa
title_full Archetypes of Climate-Risk Profiles among Rural Households in Limpopo, South Africa
title_fullStr Archetypes of Climate-Risk Profiles among Rural Households in Limpopo, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Archetypes of Climate-Risk Profiles among Rural Households in Limpopo, South Africa
title_short Archetypes of Climate-Risk Profiles among Rural Households in Limpopo, South Africa
title_sort archetypes of climate risk profiles among rural households in limpopo south africa
topic risk assessment
climate change adaptation
livelihoods
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/112839
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