Africa Environment Outlook: Case Studies : Human Vulnerability to Environmental ChangeThe AEO report has focused, for the most part, on sub-regional levels of environmental activities in Africa. But in order to improve human security, it is necessary to understand the lives and livelihoods of people operating in local environments, for ultimately this is where the process of sustainable use must operate. If we fail to understand environmental sustainability at this level, these communities will suffer the brunt of insecurity and poverty, and their problems will become the most difficult to remedy. It is the knowledge, skills and coping capabilities of resource users, and the pressures, impacts and responses at this level that should be scrutinized, and form the basis for any new strategies needed to improve vulnerability. The case studies are divided into two sections. Part 1 of the volume comprises six case studies, which explain how various types of environmental change impact on the human population, rendering them vulnerable and insecure with respect to poverty, food security, health and other socioeconomic factors. Reponses at various decision-making levels made in order to mitigate, reduce, stop or reverse environmental change and increase coping capacities have been examined. The authors conclude with recommendations or observations on the relationship between environmental change and vulnerability that are derived from the evidence presented. Part 2 consists of six case studies, which describe interventions that have been taken to reduce environmental degradation and human vulnerability. In each case the original problem is described, and proposed solutions to the problem examined, and conclusions or lessons that have been learned from the process are highlighted. |
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activities Africa agricultural Amboseli animals biodiversity Cairo Cameroon cattle cent Centre Combat Desertification communities conflict conservation cooperatives countries crop cyclones Darfur deforestation desertification disease district Dja Biosphere Reserve drought early warning ecological economic ecosystem ecotourism effective environment environmental change environmental degradation erosion established Figure fish forest fuel wood GOPP grazing group ranch herders herds human vulnerability IFAD impact implementation improve increased informal settlements infrastructure initiatives institutions Karamoja Karamoja region Karimojong Kenya Laikipia Laikipia district Lake Victoria land degradation levels livelihood livestock Maasai malaria Manchieyt Nasser Mauritius migration Morocco mosquitoes Namibia natural resources NGOs Ngwesi Ovamboland overgrazing pastoral pastoralists population poverty production programme rainfall rangeland reduce resource management response result rural Saldanha Saldanha Bay social socioeconomic soil Source species stakeholders sub-region sustainable tourism traditional tropical Uganda UNEP Uukwaluudhi warning systems water hyacinth Western wildlife