The influence of socioeconomic factors on individual and household adaptation strategies to climate change risks in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT Increasing temperatures and sea levels, changing precipitation patterns and more extreme weather pose severe threats for vulnerable communities, ecosystems, and livelihoods in cities of developing countries. Realizing these threats has heightened scholarly inquiry on future risk trends of climate change and adaptation strategies in the countries of Global South and North. However, most studies are based on data of North America, Europe, and Asia. There is minimal documentation of adaptation strategies to mitigate the risk of extreme weather in cities of Sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, this study addresses this need by examining the factors influencing individual and household adaptation strategies to climate risk in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Nigeria. Data was collected from 384 randomly selected household heads in different residential densities of the city. Household socioeconomic and demographic attributes, awareness of climate change and factors influencing their adaptation strategies to climate risk were assessed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study showed that adaptation strategies adopted were reactive rather than anticipatory and varied in magnitude according to the different residential densities. Recommendations emanating from the study include integrating and implementing climate change adaptation policies and embarking on a rigorous awareness campaign to ease households’ vulnerability and augment their climate change absorptive, adaptive, and transformative abilities in the city.