Environmental Change and African Societies

Environmental Change and African Societies PDF Author: Julia Tischler
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004410848
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 367

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Book Description
The volume Environmental Change and African Societies contributes to current debates on global climate change from the perspectives of the social sciences and the humanities. It charts past and present environmental change in different African settings and also discusses policies and scenarios for the future. The first section, “Ideas”, enquires into local perceptions of the environment, followed by contributions on historical cases of environmental change and state regulation. The section “Present” addresses decision-making and agenda-setting processes related to current representations and/or predicted effects of climate change. The section “Prospects” is concerned with contemporary African megatrends. The authors move across different scales of investigation, from locally-grounded ethnographic analyses to discussions on continental trends and international policy. Contributors are: Daniel Callo-Concha, Joy Clancy, Manfred Denich, Sara de Wit, Ton Dietz, Irit Eguavoen, Ben Fanstone, Ingo Haltermann, Laura Jeffrey, Emmanuel Kreike, Vimbai Kwashirai, James C. McCann, Bertrand F. Nero, Jonas Ø. Nielsen, Erick G. Tambo, Julia Tischler.

Environmental Change and African Societies

Environmental Change and African Societies PDF Author: Julia Tischler
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004410848
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 367

Get Book

Book Description
The volume Environmental Change and African Societies contributes to current debates on global climate change from the perspectives of the social sciences and the humanities. It charts past and present environmental change in different African settings and also discusses policies and scenarios for the future. The first section, “Ideas”, enquires into local perceptions of the environment, followed by contributions on historical cases of environmental change and state regulation. The section “Present” addresses decision-making and agenda-setting processes related to current representations and/or predicted effects of climate change. The section “Prospects” is concerned with contemporary African megatrends. The authors move across different scales of investigation, from locally-grounded ethnographic analyses to discussions on continental trends and international policy. Contributors are: Daniel Callo-Concha, Joy Clancy, Manfred Denich, Sara de Wit, Ton Dietz, Irit Eguavoen, Ben Fanstone, Ingo Haltermann, Laura Jeffrey, Emmanuel Kreike, Vimbai Kwashirai, James C. McCann, Bertrand F. Nero, Jonas Ø. Nielsen, Erick G. Tambo, Julia Tischler.

Local Environmental Change and Society in Africa

Local Environmental Change and Society in Africa PDF Author: M.A. Salih
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 940101003X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 235

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Book Description
The Organization for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA) is a network of social scientists in the sub-region established in 1980. Its main objectives are to encourage and promote interest; to engage in collaborative research; to facilitate scholarly exchange of ideas and publication between individuals and institutions engaged in the study and research in the social sciences. OSSREA also aims to promote the training of social scientists from the sub-region in the study of and research in the social sciences and to encourage establishment of institutions dedicated to this goal. In pursuance of and consistent with its objectives, OSSREA established a fund to provide research grants and training fellowships to social scientists from the sub-region. Every year OSSREA offers, on a competitive basis, two limited types of research grants: the first on topics related to the social sciences in general and the second on gender issues in particular. The grants assist the social scientists to conduct field research in an eastern or southern African country, society, institutions, sector, or problem area. The objectives of the social science competition are intended to encourage and promote upcoming scholars from the sub-region to conduct research in the social, economic, political or other problems. Moreover, it aims to strengthen and raise the capacity of faculty members and students in field research, and promote the subsequent availability of research fmdings for teaching as well as to inform individuals and institutions.

Africa in a Changing Global Environment

Africa in a Changing Global Environment PDF Author: Mutanga, Shingirirai Savious
Publisher: Africa Institute of South Africa
ISBN: 0798303751
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 238

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Book Description
Africa is one continent severely affected by the ravaging effects of global environment change yet it is least responsible for this. The continent's rural and urban poor are particularly vulnerable to reduced agricultural production, worsening food security, increased incidence of both flooding and drought, spreading of disease and heightening risk of conflict over scarce land and water resources. As such this timely book consisting of chapters authored by scholars from multidisciplinary backgrounds provides the reader a variety of contexts from which to understand the impacts of global environmental change and how affected African communities are adapting an mitigating the scourge. In addition it discusses different models for mitigation and adaptation applicable to local contexts.

Migration and Environmental Change in the West African Sahel

Migration and Environmental Change in the West African Sahel PDF Author: Victoria van der Land
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315440148
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 151

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Book Description
The West African Sahel is predicted to be heavily affected by climate change in the future. Slow-onset environmental changes, such as increasing rainfall variability and rising temperature, are presumed to worsen the livelihood conditions and to increase the out-migration from the affected regions. Based on qualitative and quantitative data from study areas in Mali and Senegal, this book examines the relationship between population dynamics, livelihoods and environment in the Sahel region, focussing specifically on motives for migration. Critiquing the assumption that environmental stress is the dominating migration driver, the author demonstrates the important role of individual aspirations and social processes, such as educational opportunities and the pull of urban lifestyles. In doing so, the book provides a more nuanced picture of the environment-migration nexus, arguing that slow-onset environmental changes may actually be less important as drivers of migration in the Sahel than they are often depicted in the media and climate change literature. This is a valuable resource for academics and students of environmental sociology, migration and development studies.

African Climate and Climate Change

African Climate and Climate Change PDF Author: Charles J. R. Williams
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9048138426
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 204

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Book Description
Compared to many other regions of the world, Africa is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and variability. Widespread poverty, an extensive disease burden and pockets of political instability across the continent has resulted in a low resilience and limited adaptative capacity of African society to climate related shocks and stresses. To compound this vulnerability, there remains large knowledge gaps on African climate, manifestations of future climate change and variability for the region and the associated problems of climate change impacts. Research on the subject of African climate change requires an interdisciplinary approach linking studies of environmental, political and socio-economic spheres. In this book we use different case studies on climate change and variability in Africa to illustrate different approaches to the study of climate change in Africa from across the spectrum of physical, social and political sciences. In doing so we attempt to highlight a toolbox of methodologies (along with their limitations and advantages) that may be used to further the understanding of the impacts of climate change in Africa and thus help form the basis for strategies to negate the negative implications of climate change on society.

Africa

Africa PDF Author: United Nations Environment Programme
Publisher: UNEP/Earthprint
ISBN: 9789280728712
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 400

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Book Description
This stunning 400-page Atlas is a unique and powerful publication which brings to light stories of environmental change at more than 100 locations spread across every country in Africa. There are more than 300 satellite images, 300 ground photographs and 150 maps, along with informative graphs and charts that give a vivid visual portrayal of Africa and its changing environment that provide scientific evidence of the impact that natural and human activities have had on the continent's environment over the past several decades. The observations and measurements of environmental change help gauge the extent of progress made by African countries towards reaching the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals. More importantly, this book contributes to the knowledge and understanding that are essential for adaptation and remediation, and should be of immense value to all those who want to know more about Africa and who care about the future of this continent.

Rural societies in the face of climatic and environmental changes in West Africa

Rural societies in the face of climatic and environmental changes in West Africa PDF Author: Collectif
Publisher: IRD Éditions
ISBN: 2709924250
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 432

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Book Description
The future of West Africa depends on the capacity of its agriculture to ensure the food security of the population, which should double in the next 20 years, while facing up to the new risks resulting from climate warming. Indeed, the changes in temperature and precipitations already operating and that should become more marked will have serious effects on agricultural production and water resources in this part of Africa in the near future. One of the keys to meeting this new challenge is the adaptation of rural societies to climate risks. To gain better knowledge of the potential, processes and barriers, this book analyses recent and ongoing trends in the climate and the environment and examines how rural societies perceive and integrate them: what are the impacts of these changes, what vulnerabilities are there but also what new opportunities do they bring? How do the populations adapt and what innovations do they implement—while the climate-induced effects interact with the social, political, economic and technical changes that are in motion in Africa? By associating French and African scientists (climatologists, agronomists, hydrologists, ecologists, demographers, geographers, anthropologists, sociologists and others) in a multidisciplinary approach, the book makes a valuable contribution to better anticipation of climatic risks and the evaluation of African societies to stand up to them.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa PDF Author: Gregory H. Maddox
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 1851095608
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 368

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Book Description
A wealth of information and analysis on the environmental forces that have helped shaped the cultures of the African continent. A scholarly reference work that will also appeal to the general reader, Sub-Saharan Africa sets the story of the African environment within the context of geological time and shows how the continent's often harsh conditions prompted humans to develop unique skills in agriculture, animal husbandry, and environmental management. Part of ABC-CLIO's Nature and Human Societies series, this book enables readers to better grasp the extent of humanity's effect on our world. Of particular interest are the book's sections dealing with the impact of the Biafran famine of the 1960s, the Sahelian drought of the 1970s, population growth, and the ongoing challenges of war and HIV/AIDS. Crucially, the book also shows how, despite their relative poverty, many African states have coped admirably with rapid urbanization and have developed world-class conservation and sustainability programs in order to protect and harness some of the most endangered species in the world.

African Philosophy and Environmental Conservation

African Philosophy and Environmental Conservation PDF Author: Jonathan O. Chimakonam
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351583263
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 238

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Book Description
African Philosophy and Environmental Conservation is about the unconcern for, and marginalisation of, the environment in African philosophy. The issue of the environment is still very much neglected by governments, corporate bodies, academics and specifically, philosophers in the sub-Saharan Africa. The entrenched traditional world-views which give a place of privilege to one thing over the other, as for example men over women, is the same attitude that privileges humans over the environment. This culturally embedded orientation makes it difficult for stake holders in Africa to identify and confront the modern day challenges posed by the neglect of the environment. In a continent where deep-rooted cultural and religious practices, as well as widespread ignorance, determine human conduct towards the environment, it becomes difficult to curtail much less overcome the threats to our environment. It shows that to a large extent, the African cultural privileging of men over women and of humans over the environment somewhat exacerbates and makes the environmental crisis on the continent intractable. For example, it raises the challenging puzzle as to why women in Africa are the ones to plant the trees and men are the ones to fell them. Contributors address these salient issues from both theoretical and practical perspectives, demonstrating what African philosophy could do to ameliorate the marginalisation which the theme of environment suffers on the continent. Philosophy is supposed to teach us how to lead the good life in all its forms; why is it failing in this duty in Africa specifically where the issue of environment is concerned? This book which trail-blazes the field of African Philosophy and Environmental Ethics will be of great interest to students and scholars of Philosophy, African philosophy, Environmental Ethics and Gender Studies.

East Africa’s Human Environment Interactions

East Africa’s Human Environment Interactions PDF Author: Rob Marchant
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030889874
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 441

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Book Description
This book is an ambitious integration of ecological, archaeological, anthropological land use sciences, drawing on human geography, demography and economics of development across the East Africa region. It focuses on understanding and unpicking the interactions that have taken place between the natural and unnatural history of the East African region and trace this interaction from the evolutionary foundations of our species (c. 200,000 years ago), through the outwards and inwards human migrations, often associated with the adoption of subsistence strategies, new technologies and the arrival of new crops. The book will explore the impact of technological developments such as transitions to tool making, metallurgy, and the arrival of crops also involved an international dimension and waves of human migrations in and out of East Africa. Time will be presented with a widening focus that will frame the contemporary with a particular focus on the Anthropocene (last 500 years) to the present day. Many of the current challenges have their foundations in precolonial and colonial history and as such there will be a focus on how these have evolved and the impact on environmental and human landscapes. Moving into the Anthropocene era, there was increasing exposure to the International drivers of change, such as those associated with Ivory and slave trade. These international trade routes were tied into the ensuing decimation of elephant populations through to the exploitation of natural mineral resources have been sought after through to the present day. The book will provide a balanced perspective on the region, the people, and how the natural and unnatural histories have combined to create a dynamic region. These historical perspectives will be galvanized to outline the future changes and the challenges they will bring around such issues as sustainable development, space for wildlife and people, and the position of East Africa within a globalized world and how this is potentially going to evolve over the coming decades.