Short Abstract:

Building context specific knowledge founded on empirical data and research from the global south, especially Africa will facilitate understanding of how different groups and people are affected by the impact of climate change and the degrees of exposure, sensitivity and adaption practices.

Long Abstract:

The discourse on climate change and its multiple and devastating impacts could not have been more important given its prognosed apocalyptic consequences Past Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports including the recent one, have highlighted the need to enhance adaptation and mitigation especially in Africa on the backdrop of its weak adaptive capacity to withstand the present and future catastrophic consequences. While best practices and outputs of research from other regions may be useful for understanding and fashioning solutions, efforts at mitigating climate change effects and enhancing adaptation should ideally be based on contextually relevant empirical research that explores the sources of vulnerabilities and how options for adaptation can be accessed and applied by different social groups. Such knowledge will be grounded in socially relevant structures that limit or enhance adaptation. This panel seeks to provide the opportunity for scholars and experts to engage in the discussion of research outputs and experiences within specific contexts in the African continent on how vulnerabilities to climate change impacts and adaptive practices are shaped.