WRC Research Project K5/1965 Activity 2: Understanding vulnerabilities John Colvin

1. LETSEMA CIRCLE TRUST WRC Research Project K5/1965 Activity 2: Understanding vulnerabilities John Colvin

2. Focus of deliverable 4: Improved understanding and toolkit for vulnerability assessments and adaptation options • Least understood, are the vulnerabilities of society, the economy and the environment surrounding climate change impacts. These are highly variable in space and time within the South African society and need to be assessed carefully and continuously. • Evaluate existing as well as possible future vulnerabilities of different critical water use sectorsand society (with rural as well as urban backgrounds), taking ongoing projects into account*. • Based on the vulnerability assessment, possible adaptation activities and options will be assessed and prioritised in light of the WfGD strategy. An important focus will be to show interlinkages and hence, influences of certain activities on other critical sectors, and societal groups in order to assess these and include them when weighing options and prioritising actions. • The toolkit must provide options, pathways, and ideas for practical implementation. It should further address issues of scale, finance, tailoring to specific sectors, but especially inter-linkages of consequences and impacts. • * e.g. WRC project: ‘Development of decision support guidelines for vulnerability assessments and adaptation requirements among rural economies and communities, including gender issues’

3. 1. Introduction – developing a vulnerability canvas - John2. Climate change & vulnerability – who where & why? – Sabine3. (Vulnerability in the context of food security – Stephen)4. Vulnerability assessments and sustainable livelihoods – Sam5. Discourses of vulnerability – possibilities and limits to integration - John

4. Introduction – developing a vulnerability canvas Source: Fussel & Klein (2006) Climate change vulnerability assessments: An evolution of conceptual thinking. Climatic change 75

9. 4. Vulnerability assessments and sustainable livelihoodsSam

10. “The ability in either a reactive or planned way to mobilise assets to meet shocks and stresses” Letsema Circle: A participatory Sustainable Livelihoods analysis of vulnerabilities Formal, informal Policies, Policies, External Macro institutions, institutions, environment processes processes Meso Micro Capital assets of HH/ Capital assets of Community Comm Natural Vulnerability Opportunities Social Human to stresses and shocks Financial Physical influence influence influence influence Livelihood outcomes Livelihood outcomes Impact on Impact on desired desired vulnerability vulnerability Livelihood strategies Livelihood strategies chosen chosen Implementation Implementation Increasing Impact on livelihoods Impact on livelihoods Impact on livelihoods opportunities

11. How multi-level governance can either contribute to or protect against both community and to systemic vulnerabilities Realigning the centre Empowering the local & provincial government levels Empowered communities 5 The centre providing strategic direction, redistribution and oversight, and responsive to community and LG/provincial level realities 4 The province/region supportive and supervising local government 3 At local government level services facilitated, provided or promoted effectively and responsively, coordinated and held accountable 2 A responsive, active and accessible network of local service providers 1 People active and involved in managing their own development

12. Multi-level learning about sustainable livelihoods within DSD 1. Mandate of DSD includes 3 pillars: Social Security; Social Welfare & Community Development. But pre-2006, interpretation of community development is very narrow 3. Review of 21 nodes by DSD in the context of the SLA and community-driven development approach 4.1 Policy framework incorporating SLA 4.2 National consultation process 5. Provincial SLA program 4.3 Development of SLA toolkit for CDPs 2. Khanya undertakes 2006 & 2008 evaluation of 15 rural nodes (Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Program) and 6 urban nodes (Urban Renewal Program) 4.4 Capacity building sessions for Community Development Practitioners (CDPs)

13. 5. Discourses of vulnerability – possibilities, opportunities andlimits to integrationJohn

14. O’Brien et al (2007) Why different interpretations of vulnerability matter in climate change discourses. Climate Policy 7

17. Identifying interpretations of vulnerability in two Mozambique studies: National Vulnerability Assessment for Mozambique (MICOA, 2000) and (Eriksen & Silva, 2003) Sectoral & technological changes to reduce sensitivities to specific risks (e.g. irrigation schemes; raised bridges; drought tolerant seed varieties) Broader adaptive capacities to respond to uncertainties, multiple shocks and transformations…alongside decreasing exposure to specific risks

18. How do we understand ‘coupled human-environment systems…operating at multiple scales and interacting with multiple stressors?

19. Where are vulnerability and resilience theories converging as a means to helping us to understand coupled social-ecological systems (SES)?

20. Focus of deliverable 4: Improved understanding and toolkit for vulnerability assessments – suggest that in order to address inter-linkagesthis needs to include new and where possible, integrated framings of vulnerability drawing on climate modeling, ecosystem resilience, sustainable livelihoods, dynamic social vulnerabilities and social ecological systems literatures