Case Study 2

Case study 2 is the Namibian contribution to TIPPECC. It focuses on the arid zone pastoralist rangeland social-ecological system (SES) of the Ovahimba of northern Kunene. Ovahimba have inhabited the region for over 200 years, surviving several intense droughts. The pastoralist lifestyle is finely attuned to its environment, adapting to seasonal and longer-term fluctuations in their resources. However, several factors, including population growth and increased sedentarisation have put pressure on the whole SES, making it vulnerable to potential tipping points in climate and subsequent shifts in their resource base. TIPPECC-Kunene aims to use both traditional ecological knowledge and scientific data to determine 1) the probability of climate tipping points leading to regime shifts in the SES, and 2) those factors that will cause changes and/or shifts, with an emphasis on the role that a climate tipping point(s) will play in this. We further aim to 3) co-develop, with affected communities, feasible adaptation strategies to ongoing global change, ensuring alignment with inherent coping strategies and traditional access rules. TIPPECC Kunene is organised around four main objectives, each comprising between one and four sub-projects. Study topics include vegetation change and land degradation, livestock foraging ecology, changes in resource access rules, options for climate change adaptation and alternative livelihoods, and the role of permanent water provisioning in driving economic, social and environmental change.