Green jobs,livelihoods and the post-carbon economy in African cities

This article examines the potential contribution of household scale off-grid renewable energy generation to the post-carbon economy. The large-scale focus of the green jobs agenda in high-income countries obscures how small-scale technologies can be a transformative source of employment in developing economies. Debates about what constitutes a green job and their value leaves out the everyday practice of green livelihoods carried out by the urban poor across the African continent in unfavourable institutional contexts where nonrenewable fuel is subsidised and renewable energy inputs are heavily taxed. The article presents experiences from field work in several countries, including Egypt, Nigeria and Kenya to provide practical examples of communities pursuing strategies of income generation, community empowerment and environmental preservation. We argue that scholars and practitioners concerned with both social justice and environmental preservation should embrace a definition of green jobs that is bottom-up or people-centred. The grassroots experiences highlighted illustrate the important role of non-governmental organisations in supporting transformative, locally sustainable green employment and livelihoods by piloting demonstration projects, fostering innovation, conducting research, forming coalitions and engaging in advocacy when local institutions and market conditions make both consumers and providers risk averse to off-grid renewable energy adoption.     

Risk and the neoliberal state: why post-Mitch lessons didn't reduce El Salvador's earthquake losses

Although El Salvador suffered light losses from Hurricane Mitch in 1998, it benefited from the increased international aid and encouragement for advance planning, especially mitigation and prevention interventions. Thus, one would have supposed, El Salvador would have been in a very advantageous position, able more easily than its economically crippled neighbours, Honduras and Nicaragua, to implement the 'lessons of Mitch'. A review of the recovery plan tabled by the El Salvador government following the earthquakes of early 2001 shows that despite the rhetoric in favour of 'learning the lessons of Mitch', very little mitigation and prevention had actually been put in place between the hurricane (1998) and the earthquakes (2001). The recovery plan is analysed in terms of the degree to which it deals with root causes of disaster vulnerability, namely, the economic and political marginality of much of the population and environmental degradation. An explanation for the failure to implement mitigation and preventive actions is traced to the adherence by the government of El Salvador to an extreme form of neoliberal, free market ideology, and the deep fissures and mistrust in a country that follow a long and bloody civil war.     

Re-framing risk: the changing context of disaster mitigation and preparedness

This issue of Disasters explores the roles of NGOs and other actors in disaster mitigation and preparedness and also reviews broad international trends in risk management and disaster prevention. The need to address risk, and with that the motivation to improve disaster mitigation and preparedness, has tended to fall between the cracks of grander frameworks of development co-operation and humanitarian assistance. Despite the seemingly glaring need to reduce the horrific impact of floods, droughts and wars, disaster mitigation and preparedness have neither the allure of directly 'saving lives', nor of providing an 'escape from poverty'. There are, however, signs that risk management is becoming a mainstream concern. Factors such as the need to address factors that do not fit into traditional slots on the relief-development continuum, the rising economic costs of disasters and a growing acknowledgement that aid will never cover more than a small fraction of the costs of disasters are all leading to new approaches, priorities and institutional configurations. A realisation that dealing with risk and insecurity is a central part of how poor people develop their livelihood strategies has begun to position disaster mitigation and preparedness within many poverty alleviation agendas. A number of long-standing challenges remain; most of all, the complexities of maintaining the political will that is needed to ensure that risk management becomes more than a passing fad.     

People’s dependency on forest resources and contributions of forests to the livelihoods: a case study in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh

The study was conducted to investigate people’s forest dependency and contributions of forests to the livelihoods in the three hill districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh. The study revealed that forest resources contribute significantly to rural community’s livelihoods and economic well-being. Using generalized logistic regressions, this study has also investigated the socioeconomic factors that affect people’s dependency on forest resources of CHT. The study revealed that people’s income from forest and forest-related occupation was positively aligned with their forest dependency. However, their education level significantly reduced their dependency on forest resources. Thus, educating the forest-dependent people and supporting alternative income generation activities should be appreciated for effective forest management in CHT. This study will be helpful to forest and environmental policy makers for CHT.     

农业文化遗产保护目标下农户生计状况分析

农户生计是农业文化遗产认定标准之一,也是影响农业文化遗产保护与传承的关键因素,在贫困地区,遗产保护与农户脱贫的两难困境更为突出。本研究基于可持续生计理论和分析框架,以全球重要农业文化遗产地——云南红河哈尼稻作梯田为案例区域,通过生计资本指标体系构建和量化,对比分析了不同生计途径农户的生计状况。评估结果发现,农户的生计资本均值为2.312,生计资本处于匮乏状态,金融资本值最低,而文化资本值最高。从事农业和打工是当前农户的主要生计途径,旅游接待成为生计拓展的重要形式。三类农户生计资本值和家庭年均收入排序相同,都表现为旅游接待户打工兼业户纯农业户,纯农业户的生计状况最差。从单项生计资本看,旅游接待户和打工兼业户的人力资本显著高于纯农业户,物质资本和金融资本比较中,旅游接待户显著高于其他两类农户,说明人力资本越丰富的农户越可能倾向于兼业,农户开展旅游接待需要较高的物质和金融资本作为基础。这意味着,农业文化遗产保护要大力提高农户的农业经营收益,延长农业的价值链和产业链,完善农村金融市场,开展旅游接待培训,从人力、金融等多方面改善农户生计资本状况,实现生计途径拓展。     

Connecting environmental management and farm household livelihoods: The Rural Environment Protection Scheme in Ireland

This paper presents the relationship between an environmental protection scheme, established in Ireland in 1994 under EU Regulation No. 2078/92, and the livelihoods of Irish farm households. It explores this relationship within the framework of the new policy environment for EU agriculture and rural areas as set out in Agenda 2000. At the centre of this new policy environment is the European model for agriculture, embodying the concept of multifunctionality, which recognizes the pivotal position of an evolving agricultural sector in enhancing the viability of rural areas through broadening the assets of farm families. Research undertaken with farm households in the west of Ireland indicates a positive relationship between the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme and the economic and natural assets upon which they build their livelihoods. The case of a small-scale dairy farm household is presented, showing clearly the positive impact of the scheme, while also highlighting the vulnerability of these improvements. A major challenge facing policy-makers is the extent to which acceptable levels of income and an enhanced natural environment on such farms can be sustained. The position of advisory and research institutions in strengthening human capacities on farms is highlighted and their enhanced role is suggested in order to give meaning to multifunctional and sustainable agriculture within the context of rural area viability. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Indigenous and local communities can boost seed supply in the UN decade on ecosystem restoration

The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration is poised to trigger the recovery of ecosystem services and transform structural injustices across the world in a way unparalleled in human history. The inclusion of diverse Indigenous and local communities to co-create robust native seed supply systems is the backbone to achieve the goals for the Decade. Here we show how community-based organizations have co-developed native seed supply strategies for landscape restoration from the bottom-up. We draw on the interconnections over two decades of seed networks in Brazil and the emerging Indigenous participation in native seed production in Australia. From an environmental justice perspective, we provide a participatory seed supply approach for local engagement, noting local geographical, social and cultural contexts. Meeting large-scale restoration goals requires the connection between local seed production and collaborative platforms to negotiate roles, rights and responsibilities between stakeholders. An enduring native seed supply must include a diversity of voices and autonomy of community groups that builds equitable participation in social, economic, and environmental benefits.     

基于农户生计演化的山地生态恢复研究综述

农户生计演化对山地生态系统恢复的影响是恢复生态学和乡村地理学关注的焦点。针对该学术背景,论文对国内外相关研究进行了总结,系统梳理了农户生计变化的内涵、驱动因素及其对山地生态系统恢复的影响;得出农户生计变化与山地生态系统演化是紧密相关的,农户生计状况最终决定着山地生态系统的特征,农户生计的改善往往驱动着山地生态系统的正向演替。最后,针对当前的研究和实践现状,建议进一步加强对农户生计和生态恢复相互关系的研究;针对当前的新农村建设和环境保护项目,要深入探究其对农户生计乃至山地生态系统恢复的影响;并建议优化中国地方官员考核标准,增强各级部门对农户生计以及环境保护的重视。     

Wild plants in everyday use: conservation towards sustainable livelihoods in Nigeria

SUMMARY

Despite the declining volumes of biotic resources flowing from natural ecosystems, no sustainable rural-based programmes have been put in place to stabilize habitats and diversify products to meet the needs and livelihoods of forest-dependent communities. Nevertheless, there is increasing evidence that agricultural expansion and rising demands for forest resources are increasingly depleting the forests. Within these extremes, daily used wild plants that sustain rural communities are under threat of over-exploitation.

This study identified major daily used wild plants in rural environments, examined their use categories, and suggested suitable ways to conserve these plants in order to improve the biodiversity capital and stabilize rural livelihoods. Results of data analysis showed that: (i) about 96 species of wild plants were in daily use for food, energy, medicine, shelter and cultural festivals; (ii) the management and utilization of daily used wild plants were based on traditional knowledge that had become inefficient as a result of resource scarcity and loss of habitats. In these circumstances, resource utilisation is leading to the loss of species; (iii) the resource users were willing to conserve wild plants on private lands to meet their ways of life. The success of wild plant conservation however, hinges on the provision of infrastructures for smallholder farmers who are willing to plant trees on their lands. There is urgent need for those responsible for conserving the forests and the environment (Federal Ministry of Environment) to design and implement suitable programmes that will accommodate the needs of the rural people in conserving wild plants in daily use in the country.