An assessment of the perceived Socioeconomic impacts of Climate Change on the community of Faza island, Lam u East district, Kenya.

Abstract

Climate change refers to a change in the state of the climate that can be identified by changes in the mean and or the variability of its properties and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer (IPCC, 2007). Vital natural resources all over the world on which millions of people (particularly rural communities) rely on for their existence, including land, agricultural crops, forests and rainfall are today being adversely affected by climate change. In the coming decades, climate change is likely to alter temperatures and distribution of rainfall, contribute to sea-level rise and increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in East Africa. In fact, many widespread climatic changes have already been observed in the region. Climate change will have both a direct impact on development of climate-dependent activities (such as infrastructure and agriculture) and indirect consequences for social systems (such as issues of poverty, conflict, health and education).As a result, climate change has the potential to undermine, and even undo, socio-economic development in East Africa (Orindi et al, 2005). According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report (IPCC, 2007), extreme events such as floods, strong winds, droughts and tidal waves are the main threats to Africa from Climate Change. The daily dependence of Africa’s impoverished, and mostly subsistence-based, rural communities on natural resources for their survival has meant that they are the worst affected by the ravages of climate change. The prevalent inadequacy of resources (including physical and financial assets) coupled with inherent poverty-related challenges call for coping mechanisms to counter the disruptions to their live As occasioned by the effects of climate change.