Journal Article

Understanding Socio-Ecological Vulnerability to Climatic Change through a Trajectories of Change Approach

Ford, James, Li, Avital

2019

Overview

This paper identifies and characterizes vulnerability to climatic change in the Ngöbe-Buglé Indigenous community of Playitas, Panama, using a “trajectories of change” approach. Playitas is a community composed of swidden forest farmers that is undergoing rapid rates of change as a result of demographic shifts, regional development, and climate change. Working in collaboration with a community organization, various methods were used to identify and characterize livelihoods, social-ecological dynamics, environmental change, and behavioral responses to change, with the aim of informing future planning in the community. Qualitative methods included semistructured interviews (n = 26), community workshops, and participant observation. Causal-loop diagrams based on field data and the perceptions of community members were created to model trajectories of change. The research reveals that change is driven by both internal and external factors and that the responses of community members create both reinforcing and balancing feedback loops that overall generate increased stress in agricultural systems, social structures, and environmental components. Although community members historically relied on social relationships, Indigenous knowledge, and remoteness as sources of resilience to external disturbances, climate change is acting as a “multiplier” of their existing vulnerabilities and is undermining their capacity to adapt to current and future climatic changes.

• Publisher: American Meteorological Society
• Subject: Adaptation / Agrarian structures / Agriculture / Behavior change / Behavioral responses / Behavioural responses / Case studies / Change agents / Climate change / Community / Community organizations / Community planning / Community structure / Community work / Diagrams / Environmental aspects / Environmental changes / Environmental policy / Farmers / Farming systems / Feedback / Feedback loops / Forest farming / Identification methods / Indigenous knowledge / Indigenous peoples / Indigenous Peoples' knowledge / Knowledge / Livelihoods / Local knowledge / Marginalized groups / Native peoples / Neighborhoods / Participant observation / Qualitative research / Regional climates / Regional development / Regional planning / Resilience / Rural communities / Social conditions / Social dynamics / Social interactions / Social relations / Social response / Social structure / Social systems / Vulnerability / Workshops