Papers by Marie-Ange Baudoin
A B S T R A C T South Africa is prone to drought. The country recently experienced the combined e... more A B S T R A C T South Africa is prone to drought. The country recently experienced the combined effects of a severe drought and a strong El Niño event, which led to serious impacts on livelihood conditions and economic growth. By examining the State's response to drought over time, with a specific focus on responses to the current 2016 El Niño-related drought, we expose a number of 'sticking points' in the response to drought and the delayed action to reduce the risks to drought impacts. Complex and seemingly bureaucratic hurdles limiting action are shown to be cumbersome factors that impede and continue to frustrate effective drought response in the country. Such bureaucratic inability to enable swift and flexible responses resulted in many NGOs and civic actors stepping up to provide assistance. As demonstrated in this research, while there are response plans and key contact departments and strategies in South Africa, these have become mired down in officialdom. Some suggest the blame lies with the State itself, and its alleged poor drought risk governance that affect recovery after drought, especially in the agricultural sector. Ineffective responses are surprising given that drought is a familiar feature and given there have been several previous cases of successes in institutional response in the past.
With increasing funding directed towards cli-mate change adaptation (CCA) in developing countries... more With increasing funding directed towards cli-mate change adaptation (CCA) in developing countries,there is a growing need to understand how this support islanding on the ground and impacting on the targeted vul-nerable communities. Due to failure of top-down approa-ches, international organ isations such as the adaptationfund are now demanding direct involvem ent of local actorswhen funding adaptation actions. Direct access mecha-nisms have been developed to facilitat e channelling fundfrom the international to local levels. At this level, civilsociety, public and private organisations have a key role toplay to assist adaptation among vulnerable groups. But arelocal organisations ready to play that role in developingcountries? In this paper, we develop and apply a frameworkto measure adaptive capacity among local organisations.Through extensive fieldwork in South Africa, we assessedthe capacity of local organisations to develop and imple-ment CCA projects, and thus access international funds foradaptation. Results highlight key determinants of adapt ivecapacity and identify areas to prioritise for capacity-building interventions. Key findings include strengtheninglocal organisations’ effective ness (e.g. resources, projectmanagement capacity) and flexibility; raising awarenessabout adaptation and its links with socio-economic devel-opment; and promoting partnerships and knowledge net-works as pathways to build adaptive capacity among localorganisations in South Africa.
by Victoria Sword-Daniels, Simone Athayde, Todd Schenk, Christine Eriksen, Jyoti Mishra, Goda Perlaviciute, Carolina Adler, Ryan Alaniz, Wendy Saunders, Olayinka Akanle, and Marie-Ange Baudoin The paper reports on the World Social Science (WSS) Fellows seminar on Risk Interpretation and Ac... more The paper reports on the World Social Science (WSS) Fellows seminar on Risk Interpretation and Action (RIA), undertaken in New Zealand in December, 2013. This seminar was coordinated by the WSS Fellows program of the International Social Science Council (ISSC), the RIA working group of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) program, the IRDR International Center of Excellence Taipei, the International START Secretariat and the Royal Society of New Zealand. Twenty-five early career researchers from around the world were selected to review the RIA framework (Eiser et al., 2012) under the theme of ‘decision-making under conditions of uncertainty’, and develop novel theoretical approaches to respond to and improve this framework. Six working groups emerged during the seminar: 1) the assessment of water-related risks in megacities; 2) rethinking risk communication; 3) the embodiment of uncertainty; 4) communication in resettlement and reconstruction phases; 5) the integration of indigenous knowledge in disaster risk reduction; and 6) multi-scale policy implementation for natural hazard risk reduction. This article documents the seminar and initial outcomes from the six groups organized, and conclude with the collective views of the participants on the RIA framework.
Natural hazards and their related impacts can have powerful implications for humanity, particular... more Natural hazards and their related impacts can have powerful implications for humanity, particularly communities with deep reliance on natural resources. The development of effective early warning systems (EWS) can contribute to reducing natural hazard impacts on communities by improving risk reduction strategies and activities. However, current shortcomings in the conception and applications of EWS undermine risk reduction at the grassroots level. This article explores various pathways to involve local communities in EWS from top-down to more participatory approaches. Based on a literature review and three case studies that outline various levels of participation in EWS in Kenya, Hawai'i, and Sri Lanka, the article suggests a need to review the way EWS are designed and applied, promoting a shift from the traditional expert-driven approach to one that is embedded at the grassroots level and driven by the vulnerable communities. Such a community-centric approach also raises multiple challenges linked to a necessary shift of conception of EWS and highlights the need for more research on pathways for sustainable community engagement.
Geo-Eco-Trop
Support to climate change adaptation is a priority in many international speeches and reports. Bu... more Support to climate change adaptation is a priority in many international speeches and reports. But is the international approach for adaptation appropriate with field reality in developing countries? This is the question explored in this paper. First we use some data collected during our PhD through surveys among rural farmers and civil and political institutions in Southern Benin combined with literature on this country to point out climate change impacts in this region, to understand the causes of farmers' climate vulnerability, and to highlight some strategies which could be used to strengthen adaptive capacity at the local level. Secondly, we analyze the international structure set up in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to support adaptation projects and we compare it with field results to determine if it responds to the actual adaptation needs. A practical case is studied through NAPAs to evaluate its capacity to answer local adaptation needs in Benin....
Adapting to climate change in developing countries is often seen in international policy through ... more Adapting to climate change in developing countries is often seen in international policy through the lenses of increasing funds. It is true that financing adaptation raises essential and controversial questions of responsibilities about who should pay for the damage induced by excessive GHG emissions. However, even if those questions would be adequately fixed, how will developing countries deliver the financing support to the populations in need for it ? In those countries institutional instruments such as National Adaptation Plans (NAPAS) are considered as privileged vehicles of such aid. Support is also delivered with the collaboration of various NGO’s, be it international, national or local. However, altogether there are very few intermediary agents able to provide villagers with technical support, not to mention the political context, often to weak to deal with new impulses to be given. After a project of several years, including field survey in Benin (West Africa), we would lik...
ABSTRACT The concept of resilience currently infuses policy debates and public discourse, and is ... more ABSTRACT The concept of resilience currently infuses policy debates and public discourse, and is promoted as a normative concept in climate policy making by governments, non-governmental organizations, and think-tanks. This book critically discusses climate-resilient development in the context of current deficiencies of multilateral climate management strategies and processes. It analyses innovative climate policy options at national, (inter-)regional, and local levels from a mainly Southern perspective, thus contributing to the topical debate on alternative climate governance and resilient development models. Case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America give a ground-level view of how ideas from resilience could be used to inform and guide more radical development and particularly how these ideas might help to rethink the notion of 'progress' in the light of environmental, social, economic, and cultural changes at multiple scales, from local to global. It integrates theory and practice with the aim of providing practical solutions to improve, complement, or, where necessary, reasonably bypass the UNFCCC process through a bottom-up approach which can effectively tap unused climate-resilient development potentials at the local, national, and regional levels. This innovative book gives students and researchers in environmental and development studies as well as policy makers and practitioners a valuable analysis of climate change mitigation and adaptation options in the absence of effective multilateral provisions.
International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2015
This article assesses the current state of disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the Greater Horn of A... more This article assesses the current state of disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA), and focuses on interventions and policies to mitigate hydrometeorological risks. The research analyzes, as main case study, the program ''Regional Climate Prediction and Risk Reduction in the Greater Horn of Africa'' funded by the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID OFDA) in the early 2000 that targeted risk preparedness. The research method combines a desk review of relevant documents and research papers with surveys and interviews directed to key proponents of DRR across the GHA. Results highlight current strengths and weaknesses in the way DRR is implemented in the GHA. Significant improvements in the climate-forecasting capabilities in the GHA since the 2000s are acknowledged, but the practice of DRR remains technology driven and impacts on the ground are limited. The key findings highlight the significant communication gaps that exist between the producers of climate information and their end users, the communities at risk. The article urges the establishment of bridges that connect climate experts, policymakers, and representatives of the local communities, and for the implementation of a feedback loop from forecast users to their producers, in order to strengthen risk resilience across the GHA.
Reducing Disaster: Early Warning Systems For Climate Change, 2014
ABSTRACT Disasters are an important cause of impoverishment in Africa, and Kenya is 1 of 11 count... more ABSTRACT Disasters are an important cause of impoverishment in Africa, and Kenya is 1 of 11 countries in the world most at risk of disaster-induced poverty. In 2011 alone, 106 million people around the world were affected by floods: the highest number of victims were located in the Horn of Africa, where Kenya is located. Hence, floods are one of the most frequent hydro-meteorological hazards, with droughts, affecting countries in the African Horn and resulting in heavy economic losses as well as loss of life. By incorporating vulnerable populations into the Early Warning Systems (EWS), and by focusing on protecting livelihoods, it is possible to mitigate impact from disasters. Current systems are in need of major improvements. Most developing countries need effective community-based early warning systems that focus on efficient dissemination of information. This chapter highlights possible ways to incorporate vulnerable groups within the EWS system, including participatory rural appraisal, the creation of community-level prevention and mitigation groups, improving infrastructure and planning, building links between climate experts and local populations, improving communication with local actors, and supporting local development. Some particularly promising solutions are emerging from Kenya, related to the use of technology for social media and crowd sourcing data. These new tools have the potential to significantly reduce disaster risks if they are correctly incorporated into early warning systems.
The paper reports on the World Social Science (WSS) Fellows seminar on Risk Interpretation and A... more The paper reports on the World Social Science (WSS) Fellows seminar on Risk Interpretation and Action (RIA), undertaken in New Zealand in December, 2013. This seminar was coordinated by the WSS Fellows program of the International Social Science Council (ISSC), the RIA working group of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) program, the IRDR International Center of Excellence Taipei, the International START Secretariat
and the Royal Society of New Zealand. Twenty-ve
early career researchers from around the world were selected to review the RIA framework under the theme of ‘decision-making under conditions of uncertainty’, and develop novel theoretical approaches to respond to and improve this framework. Six working groups emerged during the seminar: 1. the assessment of water-related risks in megacities; 2. rethinking risk communication; 3. the embodiment of uncertainty; 4. communication in resettlement and reconstruction phases; 5. the integration of indigenous knowledge in disaster risk reduction; and 6. multi-scale policy implementation for natural hazard risk reduction. This article documents the seminar and initial outcomes from the six groups organized; and concludes with the collective views of the participants on the RIA framework.
Taking the importance of local action as a starting point, this analysis traces the treatment of ... more Taking the importance of local action as a starting point, this analysis traces the treatment of participation of local and community actors through the three international frameworks for disaster risk reduction (DRR): the Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer World, the Hyogo
USAID Project Report, Apr 2014
Climate and natural hazards are increasing in intensity, frequency and complexity. Their related ... more Climate and natural hazards are increasing in intensity, frequency and complexity. Their related impacts have powerful implications for humanity, particularly communities with deep reliance upon natural resources. The development of effective Early Warning Systems could contribute to foster livelihood resilience by improving coping mechanisms and even enhancing adaptive capacity. However, current shortcomings in early warning systems' conception and applications undermine risk reduction at the grassroots level, which contribute to loss of lives and shocks to livelihoods. This paper provides multiple case studies illustrating best practices and challenges of participatory early warning systems, implemented at various scales in at-risk communities. Results indicate a need to significantly improve the way early warning systems are designed and applied. The paper suggests an integrated cross-scale approach that ensures the involvement of at-risk population from the risk detection to emergency management processes. Yet, such a participatory approach also raises multiple challenges, opening pathways for future research.
This article assesses the current state of disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the Greater Horn of A... more This article assesses the current state of disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA), and focuses on interventions and policies to mitigate hydrometeorological risks. The research analyzes, as main case study, the program ''Regional Climate Prediction and Risk Reduction in the Greater Horn of Africa'' funded by the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID OFDA) in the early 2000 that targeted risk preparedness. The research method combines a desk review of relevant documents and research papers with surveys and interviews directed to key proponents of DRR across the GHA. Results highlight current strengths and weaknesses in the way DRR is implemented in the GHA. Significant improvements in the climate-forecasting capabilities in the GHA since the 2000s are acknowledged, but the practice of DRR remains technology driven and impacts on the ground are limited. The key findings highlight the significant communication gaps that exist between the producers of climate information and their end users, the communities at risk. The article urges the establishment of bridges that connect climate experts, policymakers, and representatives of the local communities, and for the implementation of a feedback loop from forecast users to their producers, in order to strengthen risk resilience across the GHA.
Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer Science +B... more Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer Science +Business Media Dordrecht. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be selfarchived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your article, please use the accepted manuscript version for posting on your own website. You may further deposit the accepted manuscript version in any repository, provided it is only made publicly available 12 months after official publication or later and provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication and a link is inserted to the published article on Springer's website. The link must be accompanied by the following text: "The final publication is available at link.springer.com".
Le programme Gestion et impacts du changement climatique (GICC) 1 a organisé sur deux journées un... more Le programme Gestion et impacts du changement climatique (GICC) 1 a organisé sur deux journées un colloque de restitution des projets retenus en 2003 et achevés en 2007 et un séminaire à mi-parcours de présentation des premiers résultats des projets de 2005. Le texte qui suit ne rend compte que des projets achevés en 2007 (première journée) -les projets de 2005 (deuxième journée) n'étant pas finalisés 2 . Il donne également à la fin quelques remarques ou réflexions d'ordre général à propos du programme.
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Papers by Marie-Ange Baudoin
and the Royal Society of New Zealand. Twenty-ve
early career researchers from around the world were selected to review the RIA framework under the theme of ‘decision-making under conditions of uncertainty’, and develop novel theoretical approaches to respond to and improve this framework. Six working groups emerged during the seminar: 1. the assessment of water-related risks in megacities; 2. rethinking risk communication; 3. the embodiment of uncertainty; 4. communication in resettlement and reconstruction phases; 5. the integration of indigenous knowledge in disaster risk reduction; and 6. multi-scale policy implementation for natural hazard risk reduction. This article documents the seminar and initial outcomes from the six groups organized; and concludes with the collective views of the participants on the RIA framework.
and the Royal Society of New Zealand. Twenty-ve
early career researchers from around the world were selected to review the RIA framework under the theme of ‘decision-making under conditions of uncertainty’, and develop novel theoretical approaches to respond to and improve this framework. Six working groups emerged during the seminar: 1. the assessment of water-related risks in megacities; 2. rethinking risk communication; 3. the embodiment of uncertainty; 4. communication in resettlement and reconstruction phases; 5. the integration of indigenous knowledge in disaster risk reduction; and 6. multi-scale policy implementation for natural hazard risk reduction. This article documents the seminar and initial outcomes from the six groups organized; and concludes with the collective views of the participants on the RIA framework.