Climate–Urban Nexus: A Study of Vulnerable Women in Urban Areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

IF 1.9 4区 地球科学 Q3 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
S. Hlahla, M. D. Simatele, T. Hill, T. Mabhaudhi
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Abstract

The changes in climatic conditions and their associated impacts are contributing to a worsening of existing gender inequalities and a heightening of women’s socioeconomic vulnerabilities in South Africa. Using data collected by research methods inspired by the tradition of participatory appraisals, we systematically discuss the impacts of climate change on marginalized women and the ways in which they are actively responding to climate challenges and building their adaptive capacity and resilience in the urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We argue that changes in climate have both direct and indirect negative impacts on women’s livelihoods and well-being. Less than one-half (37%) of the women reported implementing locally developed coping mechanisms to minimize the impacts of climate-related events, whereas 63% reported lacking any form of formal safety nets to deploy and reduce the impacts of climate-induced shocks and stresses. The lack of proactive and gender-sensitive local climate change policies and strategies creates socioeconomic and political barriers that limit the meaningful participation of women in issues that affect them and marginalize them in the climate change discourses and decision-making processes, thereby hampering their efforts to adapt and reduce existing vulnerabilities. Thus, we advocate for the creation of an enabling environment to develop and adopt progendered, cost-effective, transformative, and sustainable climate change policies and adaptation strategies that are responsive to the needs of vulnerable groups (women) of people in society. This will serve to build their adaptive capacity and resilience to climate variability and climate change–related risks and hazards.
气候-城市关系:南非夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省城市地区弱势妇女的研究
气候条件的变化及其相关影响加剧了南非现有的性别不平等,加剧了妇女在社会经济方面的脆弱性。利用受参与式评估传统启发的研究方法收集的数据,我们系统地讨论了气候变化对南非夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省城市地区边缘化妇女的影响,以及她们积极应对气候挑战、建立适应能力和复原力的方式。我们认为,气候变化对妇女的生计和福祉有直接和间接的负面影响。不到一半(37%)的妇女报告实施了当地制定的应对机制,以尽量减少气候相关事件的影响,而63%的妇女报告缺乏任何形式的正式安全网来部署和减少气候引起的冲击和压力的影响。缺乏积极主动和对性别问题敏感的地方气候变化政策和战略造成了社会经济和政治障碍,限制了妇女有意义地参与影响她们的问题,使她们在气候变化话语和决策过程中被边缘化,从而阻碍了她们适应和减少现有脆弱性的努力。因此,我们主张创造一个有利的环境,以制定和采用符合社会弱势群体(妇女)需求的、具有成本效益的、变革性的、可持续的气候变化政策和适应战略。这将有助于建立它们对气候变率和气候变化相关风险和危害的适应能力和复原力。
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来源期刊
Weather Climate and Society
Weather Climate and Society METEOROLOGY & ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES-
CiteScore
3.40
自引率
13.60%
发文量
95
审稿时长
>12 weeks
期刊介绍: Weather, Climate, and Society (WCAS) publishes research that encompasses economics, policy analysis, political science, history, and institutional, social, and behavioral scholarship relating to weather and climate, including climate change. Contributions must include original social science research, evidence-based analysis, and relevance to the interactions of weather and climate with society.
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