Climate Governance from the Bottom: Decentralized Adaptation and the Politics of Rural Livelihoods in Southern Africa

Abstract

This study interrogates climate governance in the Southern Africa’s socio-ecological peripheries, concentrating on how decentralized adaptation policies shape rural livelihoods confronted with deepening climate hazards. The region’s ecosystems are worsening under climate stress, with smallholder farmers and forest-dependent communities already positioned at the social periphery bearing the brunt of more erratic precipitation and rising temperatures. The study utilized secondary materials, including peer-reviewed articles, official policy documents, and theoretical discussions on governance and adaptive responses. Data analysis was conducted through an interpretive and integrative approach, critically juxtaposing insights from distinct disciplinary repositories and constructing thematically coherent groupings. The study found that while decentralisation can enhance adaptive governance, its overall effectiveness hinges on bolstering cross-scale finance, capacity, and integration. The study further established that marginalized populations particularly women and youth continue to be underrepresented in decisional arenas, which undermines the equity of adaptation initiatives. The study concludes that decentralized climate governance can achieve transformation only when it is inclusive, sufficiently financed, and intricately linked to overarching rural development plans.