Fighting a losing battle? A case study tracking ecosystem loss in nature-dependent Okavango Delta communities of Botswana
Home > Publication Details >
Fighting a losing battle? A case study tracking ecosystem loss in nature-dependent Okavango Delta communities of Botswana
This
case study examined how climate change loss and damage affects Okavango
Delta-dependent communities. With a special focus on the tourism sector, the
study conducted a content analysis of 18 local newspaper articles published
during Botswana’s 2018/2019 devastating drought season that saw the world’s
largest inland Delta partially dry up. To ensure rigor when addressing the
research objective, analysis and the eventual discussion of the public
discourse was triangulated with 28 key informants’ (purposively sampled)
interview data. Overall, results showed that loss of ecosystems and
biodiversity, loss of quality of life, and loss of cultural heritage to be
the top three NELD impacts of greatest concern among Okavango Delta
communities. As it stands, Okavango Delta communities are fighting what is
clearly a losing battle against climate change. However, should sources of
livelihoods become diverse (with reduced dependence on natural resources) and
climate change education be made imperative, communities will become more
resilient and food security will be possible.
