Livelihoods-climate linkages for different groups within the community

• Which social or economic groups within the community are particularly vulnerable to climate change?
• Which resources are most important to the livelihoods of different social groups, including men, women and marginalised groups?
• How do current climate hazards affect livelihoods and related resources of different groups?
• Which livelihoods resources are most vulnerable to climate change?
• Are current coping strategies used by different groups to deal with climate hazards effective? Are they sustainable?
• Do current coping strategies differ from the ones used in the past? If yes, why?
• Which livelihood resources are needed to build longer-term adaptive capacity?
• What opportunities exist for diversification of livelihoods? What are the constraints to diversification for different groups?

The analysis of livelihoods-climate linkages aims to enhance greater understanding about the impacts of climate variability and change on important livelihood resources and activities in the project area. A key step is identification of particularly vulnerable livelihood groups and/or economic sectors. This process will ideally use a combination of secondary research and primary research, including participatory analysis. Particularly vulnerable economic sectors may include but not be limited to agriculture, fisheries and pastoralism. Identification of vulnerable groups must take into account socio-political questions which may shape people’s ability to adapt to climate change. Particular attention should be paid to gender differences in adaptive capacity, but this should not preclude a focus on other factors that may increase vulnerability.

To sustain their livelihoods, people use a wide range of social, physical, natural, financial and human resources. To analyse livelihoods-climate linkages, those resources most important to livelihoods and short-term coping and longer-term adaptation must be identified, keeping in mind that different groups will rely on different resources. Using this information, you can then think about how the climate context described in the previous step affects livelihoods both today and in the future. This analysis must be considered for different economic and social groups within the community.

Adaptation strategies should build on existing coping strategies where appropriate. However, in many cases, the most vulnerable people are employing coping strategies which are neither effective nor sustainable over the longer term. This step of the analysis must incorporate identification of current coping strategies, and an evaluation of their effectiveness and longer-term sustainability. This will serve to identify those positive coping strategies which can be used as a foundation for adaptation, and to better understand the types of alternatives that are needed to adapt to a changing climate.

For example, investment in early warning systems and training are crucial elements of enhancing livelihood resilience; and financial resources, such as credit and insurance, are vital for recovery and long-term adaptation. This analysis also includes identification of potential opportunities for diversification of livelihoods, particularly to strategies that are not agriculture-based. Consideration of the impacts of climate change and of adaptation measures on natural resources will facilitate the identification of strategies that improve the resilience of natural systems as well as of people.

CVCA handbook tools such as the hazard map and the vulnerability matrix are helpful in gathering this information from different groups within the community, and the CRiSTAL tool provides a useful structure for organising and analysing this information.