SPECTRUM - Social practice changes following extreme weather

In recent years, extreme weather events like cyclones, floods, and droughts have become more frequent and severe due to climate change. The impacts of climate-related disasters are felt most acutely in low- and middle-income countries, while many of them have contributed little to global greenhouse gas emissions. Communities in affected areas are forced to adapt their daily lives and find new ways to use resources to recover and continue their livelihoods. The research project SPECTRUM, funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), explores how vulnerable communities respond to extreme weather events, what may contribute to their recovery and how their resilience can be strengthened. A team of researchers from Austria, Mozambique and the Philippines led by Dr. Harald Grabher at the Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change of the University of Graz will investigate the impacts of typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines and by cyclone Idai in Mozambique. Both disasters caused widespread destruction. Affected families and communities were forced to adapt their routines, change how they use land, resources and energy, and find alternative ways to sustain their livelihoods. By comparing these regions, the project will identify patterns and differences in how communities adapt to such challenges. The projects goal is to set out pathways for vulnerable communities to reduce their risks, and to recover more sustainably after extreme weather events. To this end, the research aims to uncover critical processes - or tipping dynamics - in how communities respond to these extreme weather events, when sudden changes in daily routines lead to larger transformations. The SPECTRUM team will study how peoples practices and livelihoods adapt during and after extreme weather events, how the resources they rely on, such as land, energy, and materials are affected, as well as which actors are engaged. SPECTRUM uses an innovative approach to study the connections between social practices and resource use. By combining social science approaches with methods to analyse the use of physical resources, the project will reveal how changing practices impact the use of materials and energy in disaster-affected communities. The project will involve local communities in the research process, ensuring their voices are heard and their knowledge is valued. This participatory approach enriches the research but also empowers communities to better understand and address the challenges they face. Ultimately, by combining basic research with real-world application, SPECTRUM seeks to foster collaboration between science and practice.