Climate-adaptive methods

Various methods have been developed to respond to changes in living environments and the limitations that result from the negative consequences of climate change. In this report, we highlight four different methods that ZOA works with, the benefits of which are readily apparent:

• Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA): Changing the climate gradually requires adjustments in agriculture and livestock. Climate Smart Agriculture is an integrated approach to managing landscapes - crops, livestock, forests and fisheries - through which the interrelated challenges of food security and climate change are addressed.25

• Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM): How can water use, in areas where water is scarce, be conducted more effectively by supporting relevant stakeholders? How can they come up with a water-management plan for their area together? This approach minimises water-related conflicts and increases resilience to climate change.26

• Joint Natural Resource Management: This approach is also known as “Prevention and Resolution of

Natural Resource Based Conflicts.” Particularly in areas with a history of conflicts due to natural resources such as land and water, it is important to bring different groups together to make agreements about the use of land and water. Attention is given not only to conflicts in the past, but also to shared interests for the future.

• Green Jobs: Green Jobs involves the creation of direct employment in various sectors of the economy and also through related activities, thereby reducing the environmental impact of those sectors and activities, ultimately bringing them to sustainable levels. This includes decent jobs that contribute to reducing energy and resource consumption, decarbonising the economy, protecting and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity. At the same time, they help minimise the production of waste and pollution.27

By focusing on these methods, ZOA is not bringing an end to climate change. However, ZOA is helping to minimise the degree of its negative impact. It is important for people to be resilient and solution-oriented. In this way they can continue to earn their livelihood. The following sections of this chapter take a closer look at the abovementioned adaptive methods for mitigating the negative consequences of climate change in vulnerable regions.

25 World Bank, Climate Smart Agriculture (2021). Accessed 19 May 2022. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climate-smart-agriculture 26 ZOA, IWRM and Peace - The contribution of the Integrated Water Resource Management approach to conflict reduction and peace - the case of the Rural Water for Sudan project (2021). 27 A. Jarvis, A. Varma and J. Ram, Assessing green jobs potential in developing countries A practitioner’s guide (Geneva, 2011). https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@dcomm/@publ/documents/publication/wcms_153458.pdf