Climate-responsive livelihood opportunities
Climate-responsive livelihoods are ways of making a living that help to protect the environment and address climate change. For example:
- Climate-smart agriculture involves planting drought-resistant crops, using water-saving irrigation techniques, practising agroforestry, etc.
- Renewable energy includes manufacturing, installing and maintaining renewable energy technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines.
- Energy-efficiency livelihoods involve helping people to save energy and reduce their environmental impact by, for example, installing and maintaining energy-efficient equipment, and developing new energy-efficient products and services.
- Waste management and recycling involves collecting, sorting and recycling waste by, for example, recycling solid waste or composting organic waste.
- Ecotourism focuses on sustainability — for example, using local food and products such as toiletries, involving local communities in accommodation options — and responsible travel.
It is also important to consider the following factors when you are designing or thinking about climate-responsive livelihoods:
- Climate risks: What are the climate risks in the area where you want to live and work?
- Climate resilience: How can you make your livelihood more resilient to climate change?
- Social and environmental impacts: What are the social and environmental impacts of your livelihood?
Group activity
Working as part of a group, share what opportunities for gender-sensitive and climate-responsive livelihoods are available in your community and locality. Write about what you shared with and learned from the other group members in the group discussion.
