What are the barriers to successful community-based climate change adaptation? A review of grey literature

ABSTRACT

Across the Global South, community-based adaptation (CBA) projects are increasingly being implemented in an effort to respond effectively and sustainably to the impacts of climate change, with a particular focus on people’s livelihoods. Despite an increase in the number of CBA projects being implemented, detailed analysis and evaluation of their efficacy and the barriers faced in achieving successful outcomes is lacking. This study draws on an analysis of grey literature (i.e. project and donor reports) to explore the barriers faced in achieving effective CBA. An extensive global search of online project evaluations yielded 25 documents comprising 69 projects from which this analysis is based. This paper first presents an overview of the 69 projects and highlights any trends. Second, this paper describes the barriers to CBA according to three broad themes: socio-political, resource, and physical systems and processes. Following this is a discussion of the most prevalent barriers: cognitive and behavioural, financial, and human resources. Third, this paper discusses the key findings elucidated from this review. This includes the need for greater sharing of project reports and findings so lessons can be learned across spatial and temporal scales, and the disparity between critical academic literature on CBA and what is implemented in practice.     

Reflections on network governance in Africa's forestry sector

International forestry governance is an integral part of the global policy debates on how to prevent deforestation, illicit extraction, and unsustainable timber practices. Africa is an important producer of timber, yet the region is beset by a lack of capacity and other governance challenges in the management of its forestry sector. We employ a network governance analysis to examine the extent to which the evolution and operation of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and la Commission des Forêts d'Afrique Centrale (COMIFAC) have addressed governance challenges. We assess the strengths and weaknesses of these two leading examples of international forestry governance by introducing recent evidence and insights from Africa. We conclude with a policy‐relevant discussion of how the FSC and COMIFAC might enhance authority, legitimacy, and effectiveness and improve forestry governance in Africa and other parts of the world.     

“冰冻灾害”过程中长途汽车司机心理安全感与应付方式的初步调查

“春季冰灾”的严重后果无疑是“京珠高速”的瘫痪,而长时间滞留其中的长途汽车司机既是灾害当事人,也是灾害见证人。在灾害持续过程中了解当事人心理活动及其变化过程,在灾害心理学上无疑具有理论意义与实践价值。调查结果表明,灾害持续时间（车辆滞留时间）与当事人的心理活动有着密切的关系,灾害持续一周后,当事人的心理安全感显著下降,应付方式开始从成熟型应对向不成熟型应对退化。看来,灾害持续不仅消解心理健康,而且瓦解应变能力。     

安徽省棉花冰雹灾害风险区划研究

雹灾风险区划是雹灾风险研究的重要内容,对制定区域性的雹灾防灾减灾对策具有指导意义。而雹灾风险评价是开展雹灾风险区划的前提和基础。以我国雹灾频发区--安徽省为例,选择其主要经济作物棉花为承灾体,基于区域灾害系统理论和棉花雹灾风险区划数据库,在“E-H-V-R”四维评价基础上,提出了多技术手段和多方法相结合的“3（E、H、V）+1（R）”维的雹灾风险区划方法,编制了安徽省棉花雹灾风险图,将其划分为淮北平原区、江淮平原丘陵区和皖南山区3个一级区,10个二级区和19个三级区,为安徽省棉花雹灾风险管理和防灾减灾工作的开展提供科学依据,同时为其他区域和其他灾害风险区划研究提供方法和技术参考     

Compromises of Bali Roadmap

Abstract

The Bali Roadmap, as the breakthrough on inter-governmental negotiation of climate change mitigation, having brought United States on track, is still a result of compromises. The major compromises of the Bali Roadmap are centered around three issues of quantifying emission reduction targets, developing countries’ obligations as well as quantifying developed countries’ financial assistance in developing countries’ capacity building on climate change. It is found that the rationalities behind these compromises are the national interests. Due to the fact, achieving cohesion among all nations in climate change actions is very difficult. Therefore, the Bali Roadmap may lead to a tough way with distant hope. However, technology innovation and well-designed economic instruments would be helpful and supportive for further international negotiation and cooperation.     

Urbanization in China Based on International Comparison: A Discussion with Two Prevalent Views

Abstract>

Two prevalent views are reviewed on China’s urbanization firstly. Then, this article highlights the characteristics and pattern of urbanization in the world based on the quadrants map, using data of 118 countries or areas. The results indicate that the process of urbanization in the world excluding the data of China has slowed down gradually. A further exploration examines China’s urbanization process and economic development over time, which reveals that both urbanization level and the level of economic development belong to the low-grade coordination pattern. The low level of urbanization is closely connected with the low level of economic development. Actually, China’s urbanization gap appeared during 1985–1995, but it has been eliminating this urbanization gap since 1995 as a result of rapid urbanization growing. The complicated realities revealed in this analysis challenge the existing two prevalent views.     

The new geometry of climate governance

ABSTRACT

Scholars and practitioners have focused in recent years on the potential for achieving cooperation in small “clubs” of countries. While solutions to global climate change will eventually require widespread cooperation, club strategies could help to catalyze that outcome. Unlike the Paris Agreement, which has achieved widespread but relatively shallow cooperation, it could be easier to tailor agreements that allow deep cooperation within smaller groups. This essay extends that logic to clubs whose geometry varies two-dimensionally across countries but also along a third dimension: within countries. Most of the key elements of international relations and international law theory that explain how clubs achieve cooperation are directly applicable to three-dimensional clubs. Most of the relevant experience for these clubs has occurred in the west; overdue is a close assessment of how key units – such as provinces and firms – within China and other emerging economies.     

辽宁省自然灾害及基本特点

辽宁是一个自然灾害较多的省,地质灾害、气象灾害、海洋灾害、农业灾害和林业灾害部比较频繁。本文在总结上述灾害的基础上,指出了辽宁自然灾害的特点,即自然灾害的分布严格受自然地理和地质构造条件的控制;人类生产活动恶化了原有的自然环境,从而加速了灾害的发生和发展;灾害类型多,成灾面积广;灾害的频度逐年增加。     

2008年初特大冰雪灾害对粤北地区杉木（Cunninghamia lanceolata）人工林土壤理化性质的影响

2008年8月,选择具有代表性的样地（受冰雪灾害较轻、受到冰雪灾害影响、受到冰雪灾害后皆伐清理样地）,用野外调查和室内分析相结合的方法,对广东省天井山林场杉木人工林土壤理化性质进行分析。结果表明：（1）粤北地区杉木人工林在受到冰雪灾害后,0-60 cm的土壤容重比未受到损害的上升8.1%-16.4%,孔隙度下降8.9%-11.9%,自然含水量减少17.1%-28.6%,皆伐清理后,土壤容重比未受到损害的下降1.5%~9.5%;孔隙度上升1.2%~5.9%,自然含水量增加44.2%~68.1%。（2）受损后,土壤pH值未发生变化,浅层（0-40 cm）有机质质量分数比未损样地下降（1.3%-9.4%）,深层（〉40 cm）有机质质量分数提高30.5%;各层土壤全氮、全磷、有效氮、有效磷和有效钾质量分数分别下降13.4%、30.3%、16.7%、37.6%和37.2%,全钾质量分数上升21.0%,且与未损样地的差异显著;土壤交换性钙和交换性镁大幅减少,分别为28.1%和43.4%。进行皆伐清理后,有机质质量分数比未损样地提高207.9%,土壤全氮、全钾、有效氮和有效磷质量分数升高138.7%、10.2%、161.3%和540.0%,全磷、有效钾、交换性钙和交换性镁的质量分数下降2.6%、9.0%、28.7%和24.3%,各土层变化不一致。（3）冰雪灾害的发生使杉木人工林林下土壤紧实度增加,不利于土壤呼吸、空气传导和土壤养分的累积;而经过清理后,土壤变得较为疏松,通透性增强,含水量增加,有利于土壤团粒结构的增强、土壤微生物活动和土壤养分的累积及转化。因此,冰雪灾害后对受损林地进行及时的清理对植被恢复重建尤为重要。     

重庆市地质灾害孕灾环境分区研究

为探索重庆市地质灾害孕灾环境分布情况,以重庆市主要地质灾害为研究对象,在分析孕灾因子基础上,选取暴雨强度、地貌条件、地质岩性、年均降雨量、植被覆盖度和地质构造条件等6个因子,构建地质灾害孕灾环境分区指标体系,利用层次分析法(AHP)和专家效度相耦合方法确定各指标权重,并建立孕灾环境综合指数评价模型。在ArcGIS软件平台支持下,以1 km×1 km网格尺寸为单位精细获取各指标分析数据,计算得到各网格孕灾环境综合指数值,并根据该值进行重庆市地质灾害孕灾环境等级区划分。结果表明:重庆市地质灾害孕灾环境综合指数值在43～84之间,孕灾分区主要集中在高易发区和中易发区,其中危险区1.29×104 km2,占总面积的15.62%;高易发区4.42×104 km2,占53.68%;中易发区2.38×104 km2,占28.85%;低易发区0.15×104 km2,占1.85%。