Rural households in a changing climate

Arbeitspapier

This paper argues that climate change poses two distinct, if related, sets of challenges for poor rural households: challenges related to the increasing frequency and severity of weather shocks and challenges related to long-term shifts in temperature, rainfall patterns, water availability, and other environmental factors. Within this framework, we examine evidence from existing empirical literature to compose an initial picture of household-level strategies for adapting to climate change in rural settings. We find that although households possess numerous strategies for managing climate shocks and shifts, their adaptive capacity is insufficient for the task of maintaining - let alone improving - household welfare. We describe the role of public policy in fortifying the ability of rural households to adapt to a changing climate.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 6872

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets ; Climate; Natural Disasters and Their Management; Global Warming ; Economic Development: Agriculture; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Other Primary Products
• Subject: climate change ; rural households ; adaptation ; risk-coping mechanisms ; long-term effects ; Klimaveränderung ; Ländliche Armut ; Kleinbäuerliche Landwirtschaft ; Anpassung ; Entwicklungsländer

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Báez Ramírez, Javier Eduardo ; Kronick, Dorothy ; Mason, Andrew D.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2012

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/67273
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET