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This study aims to introduce management students to climate change by providing them with an opportunity to address it in their own lives, through a class exercise.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to introduce management students to climate change by providing them with an opportunity to address it in their own lives, through a class exercise.
Design/methodology/approach
An in-class exercise was designed, carried out and described in this study. Student teams were assigned different questions on how to address major causes of climate change. Each team did research to generate answers, and ranked their answers based on the speed of implementation. Teams reported their answers to the class. The instructor facilitated a debriefing session, during which all responses were ranked with respect to other variables, including cost savings, time savings and lifestyle fit. This exercise uses few resources and can be adapted to different time lengths and teaching/learning formats (e.g. on-ground, virtual, asynchronous online).
Findings
This exercise can help students to gain an understanding of climate change and its causes and complexities. Students learn how to implement a diverse set of personal actions to mitigate climate change; these can start in the present and continue throughout their lives. In addition, this exercise may help students to make the leap from individual climate change mitigation practices to organizational and societal practices, when they are in the position to do so as future leaders.
Originality/value
Although classes, exercises, and assignments ask management students to consider issues such as climate change at the organizational level, this individual-level exercise can allow students with limited organizational experience to engage more quickly with climate change and better understand organizational and societal implications in the future. That is, if students first understand how to address climate change in their own lives, they may more effectively transfer and apply that understanding at organizational and societal levels and ultimately synthesize solutions to address climate change in the world.
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Simon Ofori Ametepey, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa and Wellington Didibhuku Thwala
Climate change adaptation strategies are critical for long-term road infrastructure development (RID) because it is expected to put more land and transportation infrastructure at…
Abstract
Climate change adaptation strategies are critical for long-term road infrastructure development (RID) because it is expected to put more land and transportation infrastructure at risk from stronger winds, more intense storms, and rising sea levels. Deformation and subsidence could occur if concrete pavements crumbled and asphalt roads softened due to higher temperatures, and changes in the frequency and intensity of precipitation could have far-reaching consequences for the smooth operation of transportation networks. The developed world is primarily responsible for the carbon emissions that contribute to global warming, while less developed countries are insignificant. The African Union sees climate change as a major threat to the continent’s economic development and is working with member states and key organizations to address it. It is critical for developing countries to establish frameworks for detecting climate change risks, developing adaptation strategies, and implementing plans. The sustainable development plan (SRIP) is critical for protecting transportation networks from the effects of climate change. Sustainable development principles are critical for clarifying the proposed project’s relationships with the local and larger society, economy, ecosystems, and various institutions. The ability of a system or structure to recover from disruption while continuing to function and adapt to new circumstances is referred to as resilient infrastructure. Low-carbon infrastructure coexists with resilient infrastructure, and the pursuit of resilient infrastructure necessitates a reduction in the likelihood of failure, a lessening of the negative consequences when failures do occur, and a reduction in the time required to recover due to an increase in the facilities’ capacity to endure, adapt, and change. As part of the implementation process, RID experts must consider how climate change will impact transportation infrastructure. Risk assessment is a systematic method of looking for things that could go wrong, determining how bad they could be, and determining how likely they are to happen. Adaptable designs must include multiple measures to prevent system breakdowns. Climate change’s effects on road infrastructure, as well as rising sea levels, continue to jeopardize low-lying transportation infrastructure. Implementing SRIP necessitates the development of a climate change response mechanism.
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Ming Yang, Fangyuan Xing, Xiaomeng Liu, Zimeng Chen and Yali Wen
Adopting adaptive behavior has become a basic measure for farmers because the increasingly severe climate change is affecting agricultural production. Perception is a critical…
Abstract
Purpose
Adopting adaptive behavior has become a basic measure for farmers because the increasingly severe climate change is affecting agricultural production. Perception is a critical first step in adopting adaptive behaviors. Livelihood resilience represents a farmer's ability to adapt to climate change. Therefore, this article aims to explore the impact of livelihood resilience and climate change perception on the climate change adaptation behavior of farmers in the Qinling Mountains region of China.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, 443 micro-survey data of farmers are obtained through one-on-one interviews with farmers. The Logit model and Poisson regression model are used to empirically examine the impact of farmers' livelihood resilience and climate change perception on their climate change adaptation behaviors.
Findings
It was found that 86.68% of farmers adopt adaptive behaviors to reduce the risks of facing climate change. Farmers' perception of extreme weather has a significant positive impact on their adaptive behavior under climate change. The resilience of farmers' livelihoods and their perception of rainfall have a significant positive impact on the intensity of their adaptive behavior under climate change. Climate change adaptation behaviors are also different for farmers with different levels of livelihood resilience.
Originality/value
Based on the results, policy recommendations are proposed to improve farmers' perception of climate change, enhance the sustainability of farmers' adaptive behavior to climate change, strengthen emergency management and infrastructure construction and adjust and upgrade farmers' livelihood models.
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Shavindree Chrishani Nissanka, Chamindi Ishara Malalgoda, Dilanthi Amaratunga and Richard Haigh
There is an urgent need to translate climate change awareness into tangible climate adaptation strategies. The built environment is identified as one of the kick-off points in…
Abstract
Purpose
There is an urgent need to translate climate change awareness into tangible climate adaptation strategies. The built environment is identified as one of the kick-off points in making climate change adaptation as the built environment shares a dual-way relationship. While the built environment largely contributes to the climate change-triggering factors, it also becomes highly vulnerable in the face of climate change impacts. Tied up with the interconnectedness of the built environment processes and associated systems, the involvement of numerous stakeholders from different spectrums creates the need for a holistic and multi-stakeholder approach in developing climate response strategies for the built environment. Accordingly, this study aims to identify the roles and responsibilities of the different built environment stakeholders in climate change adaptation.
Design/methodology/approach
The study consisted of a scoping review at the initial stage, contextualising studies based on secondary data, and semi-structured expert interviews in five different countries: the UK, Sweden, Malta, Spain and Sri Lanka. The paper summarises the findings of the individual country-level desk studies and 65 built environment stakeholder interviews representing national and local governments, communities, academia and research organisations, civil organisations, professional bodies and the private sector. The findings were validated through focus group discussions in two stakeholder seminars.
Findings
The findings summarised a set of key roles and sub-roles for each stakeholder category, considering the current status and needs. The national governments need to set a long-term vision, enabling multi-sector interventions while promoting investment and innovation in climate change adaptation. The local governments overlook local adaptation plans, while the community is responsible for decarbonising operations and practising adaptation at the local level. Civil organisations and professional bodies are the voice of the community, linking policy and practice. Academia and research are responsible for nurturing skills and new knowledge, and the private sector must contribute by adopting climate resilience into their business portfolio and corporate social responsibility.
Research limitations/implications
This research is part of an Europe-Union-funded research project, Built Environment leArning for Climate Adaptation (BEACON), which aims to develop skills and competencies of the built environment professionals so that they will be adequately equipped to handle the adaptation process of the built environment needs to adapt in facing the climate change impacts.
Originality/value
The paper provides an in-depth analysis of the roles and responsibilities pertaining to each category of the different stakeholders in effectively adapting the built environment to withstand the climate change consequences. Demarcation of each stakeholder’s roles and responsibilities separately facilitates collaboration and coordination between the different parties and provides a more holistic approach to climate change adaptation in the built environment.
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Aung Tun Oo, Ame Cho, Saw Yan Naing and Giovanni Marin
Climate change is an undeniable reality that threatens people’s livelihoods. Flooding and saltwater intrusion, along with the rising sea levels, are affecting agricultural and…
Abstract
Purpose
Climate change is an undeniable reality that threatens people’s livelihoods. Flooding and saltwater intrusion, along with the rising sea levels, are affecting agricultural and aquaculture livelihoods in Myanmar’s coastal areas. Although climate change adaptation is gaining popularity as a resilience strategy to cope with the negative effects of climate change, both agriculture- and aquaculture-farmers are more often deterred from implementing climate change adaptation strategies due to practical availability and socioeconomic barriers to adaptation. This study aims to evaluate the barriers and factors that influence farm household’ choice of climate change adaptation measures.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted with 599 farm households (484 rice-farmers and 115 fish farmers) based in the coastal areas of Myanmar during 2021–2022 to explore the farmer’s choice of climate change adaptation measures and the determining factors. The multinomial logit regression (MLR) model was used to examine the factors influencing the farmers’ choice of climate change adaptation strategies.
Findings
The study found out that farm households use a variety of adaptation methods at the farm level, with building embankment strategy (23.4%) in agriculture and net-fencing measure (33.9%) in fish farming being the most popular adaptation strategies. Farmers’ decisions to adopt climate change adaptation strategies are influenced by factors such as distance to market, education level of the household head, remittance income and the availability of early warning information, among others. The study also discovered that COVID-19 has had an impact on the employment opportunities of household members and the income from farming as well had a consequential effect on the adoption of climate change adaptation measures. Furthermore, lack of credit (42.4%), labor shortage (52.8%), pest and disease infestation (58.9%), high input costs (81%) and lower agricultural product prices (73%) were identified as major barriers to the adoption of climate change adaptation measures by both agriculture and aquaculture farm households.
Originality/value
This study demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic and farm-level barriers are the major factors influencing farm households’ choice of climate change adaptation measures, and that removing practical farm-level barriers and encouraging the adoption of adaptation techniques as potential COVID-19 recovery actions are required. This study also highlighted that the adaptive capacity of agriculture and aquaculture farm households should be strengthened through formal and informal training programs, awareness raising, the exchange of early warning information and the development of proper credit scheme programs.
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Glorianne Borg Axisa and Ruben Paul Borg
The construction industry is one of the major contributors of greenhouse gas emissions (UNEP, 2022), but it provides numerous valuable opportunities to contribute to the reduction…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction industry is one of the major contributors of greenhouse gas emissions (UNEP, 2022), but it provides numerous valuable opportunities to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (IPPC, 2023). Innovation within the industry and the adoption of sustainable practices are key to achieve this. This is possible with the contribution of highly knowledgeable professionals and skilled workers. However, different countries, including Malta are facing skill gaps and resource shortages. The purpose of this paper is to define the existing skill gaps and mismatches in climate change adaptation in the built environment in Malta. The research focuses on the positionality of the professionals working in the sector as they operate within a legal framework guided through various policies, and through their role and responsibility, they are in contact with the other stakeholders in the sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The data generation strategy used in this study involved a pragmatic approach through a mixed method research methodology, namely, interviews, a questionnaire and a focus group discussion. The three tier scaffolding approach in the data generation strategy allowed for a progressive validation of the data generated.
Findings
The research indicates that the professionals in the sector are aware of their roles and responsibilities to address climate change in their practices, and they have the disposition to acknowledge the need of continuous professional training. Moreover, this study points out that the professionals in the built environment sector are concerned about other gaps within the industry and not solely by skill gaps. Their responsibility to address climate change through greener solutions is often hindered by fragmentation in the system including bureaucratic procedures, clients’ demands, lack of enforcement and general education of the need to address and adapt climate change among the general public. The professionals appeal for an overhaul in the “culture” of the construction industry through a comprehensive rather than a piecemeal approach. This research puts in the limelight the need of a comprehensive strategy to address skill gaps and mismatches in accordance with the need for climate change adaptation as the ultimate challenge rather than addressing different issues separately within the sector.
Originality/value
The paper is to define the existing skill gaps and mismatches in climate change adaptation in the built environment in Malta. By identifying these skill gaps and mismatches, it would be possible to devise an action plan to iron-out such hindrances as part of a broader climate action adaptation strategy.
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Riyan Benny Sukmara, Ariyaningsih and Rizqi Bachtiar
Understanding the stakeholders' role and interest are critical for implementing climate change policy. The dichotomy between adaptation and mitigation, which arguably creates…
Abstract
Purpose
Understanding the stakeholders' role and interest are critical for implementing climate change policy. The dichotomy between adaptation and mitigation, which arguably creates uncertainty at the implementation level, for example, is shaped by the role of the actors involved. In this regard, this study aims to investigate the interests and role of stakeholders in climate change adaptation at the national and regional levels in Indonesia. The country, Indonesia, is selected because it produces the largest amount of greenhouse gas emissions, and the people are at the highest risk of the impacts of climate change in the world. Furthermore, this study discusses the challenges in climate change adaptation in Indonesia.
Design/methodology/approach
This research uses a literature review and interviews with potential stakeholders. Purposive sampling methods were applied to select stakeholders for interviews. Interviews with key stakeholders were conducted through email and Zoom. Questions were developed based on the roles and interests of stakeholders.
Findings
According to the stakeholders, there is a need to establish links between climate change adaptation and local policy at the national and regional levels. The results reveal no integration strategy or approach to support climate change adaptation. Although there has been some climate change adaptation, few people are widely regarded as authorities on climate change policy. This study also discusses some challenges and opportunities to engage key stakeholders in Indonesia.
Originality/value
The study offers an understanding of stakeholders based on key stakeholders' interests and role in climate change adaptation in Indonesia. The research findings in this study generate prospects for the government or decision-makers or other stakeholders to deliberately aspire for policy planning. In addition, to prepare climate change adaptation policies relating to the role of stakeholders or community-based approaches to climate change adaptation, stakeholders can conduct more detailed studies to achieve community resilience in term of climate change adaptation.
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Nishara Fernando, Pasindu Jayathilake, Malith De Silva, Wathsala Gunathilake, Nilushi Devapura and Belinda Wise
This study aims to identify key built environment stakeholders in Sri Lanka and to understand their roles and responsibilities in tackling climate change. It also seeks to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify key built environment stakeholders in Sri Lanka and to understand their roles and responsibilities in tackling climate change. It also seeks to identify key challenges experienced by stakeholders.
Design/methodology/approach
Secondary data was systematically reviewed to identify key-built environment stakeholders in Sri Lanka. Thereafter, primary data was collected from a purposively selected sample of 40 built environment experts using a semi-structured interview schedule. The collected data was analyzed using the thematic analysis method.
Findings
The study identified built environment stakeholders in five sectors, namely, the state sector, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, academia and the general public. It was revealed that the state sector is responsible for policy formation and implementation, while the private sector acts as a financial facilitator. Academia generates and disseminates knowledge on climate change and community-based organizations provide inputs. Key skills and knowledge gaps of stakeholders include a lack of comprehension of the climate change theory and its concepts, lack of awareness on policies and legislation, lack of communication skills, language skills, digital proficiency and lack of integrated working skills. Unified action and equitable representation of all stakeholders is necessary to tackle climate change.
Originality/value
The original contribution of the paper is its emphasis on the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the built environment in relation to climate change adaptations alongside its identification of key knowledge gaps among stakeholders.
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Dinci J. Penzin, Kazeem O. Isah and Afees A. Salisu
Given the systemic nature of climate change, there are many interdependencies between its primary components and feedback loops, emphasising the need to simultaneously consider…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the systemic nature of climate change, there are many interdependencies between its primary components and feedback loops, emphasising the need to simultaneously consider the stock market implications of physical and transitional climate-related risks. More importantly, carbon emissions are expected to be reduced through various transition pathways. However, transitional climate risks have been validated as capable of predicting stock market behaviour, hence the motivation for the role of technology shocks.
Design/methodology/approach
We use a GARCH-MIDAS model to examine the relationship between climate change and stock return volatility since it enables data analysis at various frequencies within the same framework. We employ a novel dataset to track technology shocks, and the study spans decades of data from 1880 to 2018.
Findings
We find that the relationship between climate change and stock return volatility is episodic and varies with different degrees of intensity of high-temperature anomalies and technology shocks. Our results suggest that policy actions should include investing in climate technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encouraging investment in eco-friendly assets.
Originality/value
There has been little or no consideration for the probable complementary effects of physical and transition climate-related risks on stock markets. Hence, the novelty in the context of this study is the hypothesis that transitional risks, if explored from the point of view of technological innovations, can moderate the stock market’s vulnerability to physical climate risks.
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Arvinder Kaur and Vikas Sharma
Today’s world is struggling with the hardship of climate change that has drastically disturbed human life, wildlife and the earth’s biological system. This study aims to show how…
Abstract
Purpose
Today’s world is struggling with the hardship of climate change that has drastically disturbed human life, wildlife and the earth’s biological system. This study aims to show how implementing climate change mitigation strategies and environmental protection measures can ensure sustainable development through collaborative efforts between governmental authorities and the nation’s populace.
Design/methodology/approach
An extensive literature review of studies is conducted from across the world concentrating on holistic, sustainable development, enabling a showcase of various conferences, action plans initiated and resolutions passed. VOSviewer software is used to quantify the results of bibliometric analysis and cluster analysis. A total of 260 research studies released between 1993 and 2022 on the Scopus platform are quantified in terms of topmost publications, collaborations among authors, citations index and year-wise publication. The search string has keywords including “climate change,” “sustainable development” and “environment protection.”
Findings
The study results revealed a steep increase in research publications in the last three years, from 2017 to 2021, which serves as the basis of the emergence of high-impact articles. The most cited document in this context throws light on assessing vulnerability to climatic risk and building adaptive capacity. It also draws attention to voluntary carbon markets’ rationale while condemning emission trading systems for climate change due to structural flaws, negative consequences and questionable emission-cutting effectiveness. Low energy demand, zero energy buildings and shared socioeconomic pathways should be implemented as strategies for sustainable development.
Practical implications
This study provides a significant opportunity to construct a valuable addition to mitigate climate change. Also, it shows a positive and significant correlation between mitigation and adaptation policies by analyzing publication efforts worldwide considering local climate risks and national adaptation mandates.
Originality/value
The originality of this study lies in its comprehensive approach, combining literature review, bibliometric analysis and cluster analysis to provide insights into current research trends, challenges and potential strategies for addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development. The study’s emphasis on the correlation between mitigation and adaptation policies adds practical significance to its findings.
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