Transformation of rural communities: lessons from a local self-initiative for building resilience in the Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands is vulnerable to negative impacts from climate change, where people’s livelihoods and their well-being are threatened, especially the viability of isolated communities. Realising the increasing risks from climate change on communities, government, in partnership with aid-donor partners, has invested millions of dollars in climate change projects, through mitigation and adaptation strategies. As a form of adaptation, the government invests in programmes aimed at increasing the adaptive capacity of the vulnerable communities through landscape and seascape projects across the rural communities. Focusing on the “transformation concept” as a long-term adaptation strategy and enlargement of climate engineering and ecological resilience concepts, the paper discusses why building resilience from transformation of rural communities, as well as from landscape and seascape projects, would benefit communities and relevant authorities. This paper describes the findings of a study on two rural villages, Keigold and Mondo, from Ranogha Islands, Western Province, in Solomon Islands, where 80% of households decided to relocate from their old village “Mondo” to their new home “Keigold” after an earthquake in 2007, as part of a self-initiative. The reallocation process can be seen as a case of pro-active community transformation that provides valuable lessons to other rural communities that may be forced to move due to impacts from natural catastrophes, including those explained by climate change risks. Lessons from this experience suggest that policy-makers and non-government organisations should consider and empower local transformation initiatives as a way to building long-term adaptation to climate change.     

Vermetid reefs in the Mediterranean Sea as archives of sea-level and surface temperature changes

Vermetid reefs are among the most important bioconstructions in the Mediterranean Sea, with a distribution restricted to the warmest part of the basin. Their structure, and vertical and geographical distribution make them good biological indicators of changes in sea level and sea-surface temperature over the last two millennia.     

Chemical Behaviour of Calcium in Stabilized Oil Ash Reef Blocks After Five Years in the Ocean

Abstract

Reef blocks made from stabilized oil ash were taken from the sea after five years in the ocean to examine the chemical behaviour of calcium. Experiments included (1) determination of the calcium leaching rate and a comparison with the rate for unexposed blocks to test the validity of a diffusion model for predicting long term (5 years) leaching rates, (2) determination of the effect of biological cover (shell) on the leaching rate, (3) determination of the leaching rate of the core of exposed reef blocks, (4) determination of the calcium content in ‘ring areas’ - regions of discoloration observed in sectioned exposed reef blocks, and (5) determination of the leachable fraction of the total calcium in exposed reef blocks. Results showed the presence of a pronounced calcium discontinuity zone located 3–7 cm from the outside surface of the reef blocks. Cumulated calcium release rates ranged from 2.81–3.14 μmol cm^?2 day^?1 for original unexposed reef blocks and the core of exposed (in the ocean for five years) blocks, respectively, to 0.47–0.50 μmol cm^?2 day^?1 for outside (facing sea water) surfaces of exposed reef blocks. Tank leaching studies also showed that the presence or absence of hard biological cover (shells) had little or no effect on the calcium release rate. the diffusion model normally used in modelling the chemical behaviour of calcium cannot be used to predict the long term (five years) leaching of calcium. the core of the exposed blocks released calcium at a rate similar to new, unexposed reef block material. Overall, it appears that the calcium discontinuity zone is probably responsible for restricting the release of calcium and hence the failure of the diffusion model.     

On water security, sustainability, and the water-food-energy-climate nexus

The role of water security in sustainable development and in the nexus of water, food, energy and climate interactions is examined from the starting point of the definition of water security offered by Grey and Sadoff. Much about the notion of security has to do with the presumption of scarcity in the resources required to meet human needs. The treatment of scarcity in mainstream economics is in turn examined, therefore, in relation to how each of us as individuals reconciles means with ends, a procedure at the core of the idea of sustainable development. According to the Grey-Sadoff definition, attaining water security amounts to achieving basic, single-sector water development as a precursor of more general, self-sustaining, multi-sectoral development. This is consistent with the way in which water is treated as “first among equals”, i.e. privileged, in thinking about what is key in achieving security around the nexus of water, food, energy and climate. Cities, of course, are locations where demands for these multiple resource-energy flows are increasingly being generated. The paper discusses two important facets of security, i.e., diversity of access to resources and services (such as sanitation) and resilience in the behavior of coupled human-built-natural systems. Eight quasi-operational principles, by which to gauge nexus security with respect to city buildings and infrastructure, are developed.     

Building resilience by challenging social norms: integrating a transformative approach within the BRACED consortia

Resilience is a complex phenomenon whereby a multitude of social and environmental factors, including gender, combine to shape the ways that shocks affect people. Looking at two BRACED (Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Extremes and Disasters) projects, in Burkina Faso and in Ethiopia, this article uses a desk review and primary data from partners and people at risk to explore how a gender‐transformative approach can be an integral part of resilience‐building projects, particularly those implemented by multi‐stakeholder consortia. It also suggests ways to incorporate a stronger gender component in similar future projects. The article argues that donors and programme managers must provide clear principles and guidelines for achieving gender equity within resilience‐building efforts. However, these must allow flexibility to adapt to norms, needs and resources as determined by implementing partners. The right balance can be achieved by facilitating spaces for individual and collective goal‐setting; assessing current capacity and trajectories; and lesson‐sharing as an iterative process for institutional learning.     

From disaster to development: a systematic review of community‐driven humanitarian logistics

A plethora of untapped resources exist within disaster‐affected communities that can be used to address relief and development concerns. A systematic review of the literature relating to community participation in humanitarian logistics activities revealed that communities are able to form ad hoc networks that have the ability to meet a wide range of disaster management needs. These structures, characterised as Collaborative Aid Networks (CANs), have demonstrated efficient logistical capabilities exclusive of humanitarian organisations. This study proposes that CANs, as a result of their unique characteristics, present alternatives to established humanitarian approaches to logistics, while also mitigating the challenges commonly faced by traditional humanitarian organisations. Furthermore, CANs offer a more holistic, long‐term approach to disaster management, owing to their impact on development through their involvement in humanitarian logistics. This research provides the foundation for further theoretical analysis of effective and efficient disaster management, and details opportunities for policy and practice.     

From silence to resilience: prospects and limitations for incorporating non-expert knowledge into hazard management

Despite efforts to include residents in hazard management, their contributions are often undervalued because they are seen as passive recipients of intervention rather than active participants in the production of knowledge, particularly when they lack technical expertise. However, using multiple perspectives and experiences can improve hazard management strategies and create safer communities. This paper examines a Colombian landslide management program to highlight the prospects and limitations of incorporating non-expert knowledge into hazard management. The Guardianas de la Ladera (Guardians of the Slope) in Manizales, Colombia is a program in which female heads of household are hired to maintain landslide-prevention infrastructure and communicate landslide risk to the community. While the highly regarded program is perceived as having reduced the frequency of landslides and associated damages, the hierarchical institutional structure inhibits bottom-up communication, including information that could improve long-term vulnerability reduction. We argue that regardless of the location, scale, or specific hazard being addressed, incorporating non-expert knowledge into hazard management potentially illuminates sources of vulnerability not recognized by technical or development experts.     

区域洪涝灾害恢复力时空演变研究——以巢湖流域为例

提高自然灾害恢复力是应对气候变化和自然灾害的重要途径之一。在总结自然灾害恢复力研究的基础上,全面考虑自然、社会、经济、技术、管理等5个维度对其的影响,构建巢湖流域洪涝灾害恢复力评价指标体系,并基于ANP分析方法求得非独立指标间的权重,评价巢湖流域洪涝灾害恢复力,进而分析2000~2010年之间巢湖流域洪涝灾害恢复力时空演变规律,以期为提高巢湖流域洪涝灾害恢复力水平提供有价值的参考。研究结果表明,2000~2010年巢湖流域大部分地区洪涝灾害恢复力指数都在增长,但增长速率存在不同地区、不同维度上的明显差异;从流域平均水平来看,10 a间巢湖流域洪涝灾害恢复力指数在增长,其中自然维的指数是下降的,其他维度的指数为增长,并且对巢湖流域洪涝灾害恢复力增长正向影响最大的是经济维影响因子,而自然维的影响因子对恢复力增长起到了负向作用;2000~2010年巢湖流域洪涝灾害各等级恢复力分布格局变化不大,但其他地区与合肥市辖区恢复力的差距在拉大。     

Supporting the risk management process with land information: a case study of Australia

It is frequently argued that, at the parcel level, 1 stakeholders are capable of and well supported in managing their land‐related risks. Yet, evidence from the contemporary Australian context suggests otherwise: numerous large‐scale disaster events have revealed that citizens are ill‐prepared to respond and recover adequately. This paper begins with the premise that information, specifically land information, could better support parcel‐level risk preparation, mitigation, response, and recovery. State land administration organisations in Australia primarily maintain this information and make it accessible. Land information is used regularly across all levels of government to support risk management activities; however, such application has not always occurred at the parcel and citizen level. Via a case study approach, this paper initially explores the land information available in Australia to stakeholders interested in parcel‐level detail, and then goes on to propose how the utilisation of parcel‐level land information could serve to enhance risk management practices.