Project by Dr. José Maria Langa
This project seeks to analyze the theme of climatic and socio-environmental risk management in Mozambique. This issue, which has gained ground in the world and in Mozambique, is especially salient after cyclones Idai and Kenneth, now not only in this developing country but also in developed countries. The question of the scale of risks and even disasters has local and global relevance, so, since 1990 the United Nations instituted the International Decade for the Reduction of Natural Hazards, Marco Sendai (2015-2030) was signed, which seeks (from national and international efforts) to understand the relationship and dynamics to reduce the impacts of disasters in the world, preceded by the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015). This research will be guided from the following methodological point of view: bibliographic, documentary review, and case study which will lead us to develop basic research.
This research will use qualitative and quantitative approaches to on the one hand understand the phenomena from the point of view of the local actors and on the other hand, create mathematical models that can explain such phenomena (probability of occurrence of an extreme event). Local knowledge is a major factor in producing mitigation mechanisms and strategies for reducing the risk of natural disasters, and these make it easy for the population to get involved and to easily accept such mechanisms.
This research will not only make it possible to systematize information, concepts, data, and practices on managing climatic and socio-environmental risks but will also open space for scientific debate between various actors in the country. The research will contribute to the creation of an Atlas on disasters, an instrument that can be used for Disaster Risk Reduction RRD and, thus, develop a more critical and accurate picture of disasters. In this Atlas, we will map: Areas of risk (direct and indirect), Location and Spatialization of Extreme Events, Climate Migration, etc.
This research will focus on the debate on Risks, Climate Change, and Climate Justice. This proposal will serve to strengthen ObservA, the Environmental Observatory for Climate Change, an organization that is in the legalization phase. This project will serve as an opportunity to enhance ObservA's actions and give it life and body since even without legalization this organization already has activities developed and of High Impact (this is the case of the 1st Scientific-Technical Seminar on Climate Change, which took place on 7 and 8 November 2019) and also as follow-up actions, the preparation and development of the implementation of DataObservA, which is a Web Platform on Climate Change, which will be a mechanism for systematizing and joining efforts, actors, and actions. In addition, it will seek to increase the adaptive capacity of local actors to Climate Change, producing information and knowledge and, above all, articulating the work and perspectives of these local actors.
