Building Climate Resilience in Indonesia: An Intersectional Approach

Sharyn Davies & Miya Irawati

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ICAS 13^th conference

Surabaya, July, 29^th, 2024

Acknowledgement

• Supported by the Australian and Indonesian Governments through KONEKSI 

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• Implemented by Monash University; Monash University, Indonesia; Monash Herb Feith Indonesian Engagement Centre and Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub

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• Our partners:
• Lombok/ NTB Province: DP3AP2KB of NTB province, Bappeda of NTB Province, Islamic Relief
• Kupang/ NTT Province: Gerakan Advokasi Transformasi Disabilitas Untuk Inklusi (GARAMIN),
• Makassar/ South Sulawesi province: Hasanuddin University, LBH APIK Sulsel, Pergerakan Difabel Indonesia untuk Kesetaraan
• National level in Indonesia: Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, The Indonesian Disability Movement for
• Australia: Australia-Indonesia Centre and 360Info

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• For more information: https://www.monash.edu/arts/Herb-Feith-Indonesian-Engagement/Research/current-projects/koneksi-climate-change-resilience

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We discuss

1. Research site
2. Research subject: Vulnerable communities (Women, People with Disability, and Older People)
3. Intersectionality approach
4. Methodology
5. Findings: Climate Challenges
6. Findings: Climate Impacts
7. Findings: Climate Resilience Strategies
8. Initial conclusion

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Research Site

These places have been identified as

at high risk of experiencing varying rainfall patterns and associated precipitation, which lead to impacts, e.g.

water pollution, harvest failure, flood and drought

Why we choose Eastern Indonesia as a research site?

Research Subjects: Vulnerable Communities

Women

People With Disability

Older People

Intersectionality Approach

• Understanding the complex interaction of multiple dimensions

(gender, age, socioeconomic status, race, and disability) that contribute to their challenges

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• The complexity of the woman’s situation contributes to complex climate-related challenges

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• To develop effective climate resilience strategies, the intersectionality of their experiences has to be considered and comprehended

Why do we use intersectionality approach, mainly focus on GEDSI?

Research Method

Participatory Action Research, facilitated through co-design

• Focused Group Discussion in each research site:
• Women n=7
• PWD n=7
• Older people n=7
• Stakeholders: at village level and regency/ city level n=14-16

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• Interview in research site
• Women n=7-10
• PWD n=7-10
• Older people n=7-10
• Stakeholders: agencies at regency and provincial level, civil society organisations n=7-10

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• Observation (women, PWD, older people) in research site

Findings: Climate Challenges

3

Disaster-related climate change

What are the climate intersectional challenges for PWD, women and older people in Eastern Indonesia?

Flood

Sea water level rise

Sea abrasion

Findings: Climate Challenges

1

Unpredictable & shifting weather change pattern

‘The climate change here, with unpredictable weather of rain and heat, has an impact on our health. We easily catch colds, coughs, and fevers.’

K_IN_G_10

‘Usually, climate change is unpredictable. For example, even during the rainy season, it can still be dry and there might be very little rain.’

M_IN_G_03

‘In NTB, if we compare 20-30 years ago with the current conditions, it is very different. This is proven by the way that once every 10 years, we make rainfall estimates. The most dynamic climate pattern is the rain pattern that we can see. In the past 30 years, we had 21 seasonal zones. The seasonal zone is how we see the average monthly rainfall in one year. We use 30 years of data. From 1991-2010. Then we use 2000-2021. It turned out that from there we discovered that there were additional seasonal zones, which were initially 21, now there are 27. We realized this was a change in climate patterns, especially rain patterns.’

L_INT_ST_54

2

Extreme heat/ higher temperature

‘Yes, it's getting hotter now’.

‘In the rainy season it's the same, in the dry season it's really hot. The dry season is long and usually there's no rain at all.’

L_IN_G_07

‘After the rainy season, we have noticed extreme weather changes. The soil doesn't behave as it used to, and the heat is more intense. Previously, the scorching heat would only be felt around 1 PM, but now it starts as early as 9 AM.’

K_IN_G_08

‘Well, in the past, the climate was pretty good, but now it's scorching hot.’

M_IN_G_24

Findings: Climate Challenges

Sea abrasion

3

Disaster-related climate change

Sea abrasion, Pantai Telindung, Kec.Pringgabaya, Lombok Timur

Findings: Climate Challenges

Findings: Climate Challenges

4

Long drought

‘Well, during the long drought last time, water became scarce. We had to go far to get drinking water.  We even bought one for 12,000 Indonesian Rupiah during the long drought.’

M_IN_G_03

‘Yes, regarding the climate, not all areas here have access to water. Some areas suffer from drought, which affects the availability of water and leads to crop failure. We have experienced this for the past two consecutive years.’

K_IN_G_08

‘Ma'am, we often fail completely because there is no water. For example, there was a long drought, ma'am. The harvest usually fails because the rice field where I work is dry.’

L_IN_G_03

Findings: Climate Impacts

What are the climate change intersectional impacts for PWD, women and older people in Eastern Indonesia?

Findings: Climate Impacts

‘There is no day without debt. I must borrow money from Bank Mekar as capital for planting corn and making crackers in case there are many orders’

L_FGD_G_11

1

Livelihood difficulties

A cycle of debt

More work/ burden

‘We are in debt but it's a thousand and two thousand, my income is just from going daily to the rice fields and that's all.’

L_IN_G_06

Spending more time to work several temporary jobfor being resilience

Findings: Climate Impacts

‘My hearing ability has been impaired since 2019 due to frequent head trauma from my older sibling.’

L_INT_PWD_30

If my husband runs out of money, I get scolded and beaten. Sometimes, we don't communicate for a week, and I can only cry.’

‘No, he never apologizes. Instead, he warns me beforehand’

L_INT_PWD_30

Gender base violence

1

Livelihood difficulties

A deaf wive shared her story of domestic violence

Findings: Climate Impacts

1

Livelihood difficulties

Worsen poverty

‘Due to climate change and reclamation, my income has decreased. As I mentioned before, I can no longer catch the shellfish, I have no income and my kids have stopped going to school. We can not afford even sometime for our basic need.’

M_IN_G_02

‘No, there hasn't been any assistance from the government here. In fact, they are even planning to evict the coastal areas (due to the Makassar New Port).’

M_IN_G_03

Findings: Climate Impacts

2

Water Scarcity

‘Yes, that's what we usually buy per hour of water (for watering our crops). 1 hour is 30,000.’

L_IN_G_05

‘The deep well was dry but it was dug up. Sometimes once a year.’

L_IN_G_02

‘Sometimes I buy water in Mattoanging Rp 1000/water container. Usually I buy a gallon of water for cooking. For the laundry, we use well water. The water from the well is also difficult and the water is salty.’

M_IN_G_21

But the water supply is limited, so we have to divide the available water for human needs, livestock, and watering plants, which means the water is not sufficient.

K_IN_G_09

Water scarcity as challenges to water their agricultural land and meet their basic need at home

3

Crop failure

Findings: Climate Impacts

‘But this year, maybe due to climate change, I experienced crop failure.’

K_IN_G_10

‘In 2022-2023, many experienced crop failures, so we made a proposal, and this year, we finally received assistance, which has been ongoing for three months.’

K_IN_G_04

‘We often fail completely because there is no water. For instance, there was a long drought, ma'am. The harvest usually fails because the rice field where I work is dry.’

‘I just wait for the rain to come again.’

L_IN_G_03

Partial crop failure experienced by vulnerable communities in Lombok

Findings: Climate Impacts

4

Health & wellbeing

 ’Yes, when the rainy season comes and the water (flood) enters the house, my children often get sick.’

M_IN_G_02

The climate change here, with unpredictable weather of rain and heat, has an impact on our health. We easily catch colds, coughs, and fevers.

K_IN_G_10

Headache, cough, cold fever, etc

5

Lack of support

Basic needs: water & fertiliser

Limited access to financial sector

Findings: Climate Resilience Strategies

What are the climate intersectional resilience strategies for PWD, women and older people in Eastern Indonesia?

Findings: Climate Resilience Strategies

1

Praising & relying on faith

‘He always tells me, Mom, I want to go to Public Junior High School 7. So I just pray, hoping that there will be enough blessings for you to go to junior high school and graduate. Because my eldest child also struggles with a difficult life at the fish auction.‘

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‘So I said, pray, dear, so that there will be blessings, because it seems difficult to rely on your older siblings for help. Because in the past few weeks, they only made money twice in one week.’

M_IN_G_26

So, if the children need something, who do they go to? Once, I prayed in my room and asked God to give me strength, abilities, and peace so that I can work, plant, and receive blessings to provide for my children and grandchildren.

K_FGD_G_01 Participant 7

Basically it’s safe, these all belongs to Him (Allah). No need to be sad.

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There is nothing (challenge) from me, it’s normal, because it’s been arranged by God.

(Do) like that before. Guard your prayers and worship.

L_IN_PWD_01

2

Economic empowerment & livelihood diversification

Findings: Climate Resilience Strategies

Alternative income sources beside farming activities or being fishermen

3

Collaboration & support

Climate Resilience Strategies

The blind friend is selling chips

A group of fishermen returned home after together harvesting octopus

A group of home industry in Makassar

Climate Resilience Strategies

4 Strengthening health & wellbeing quality

Climate Resilience Strategies

5

Community based initiative

A cooperative venture in East Lombok lead to decreasing the number of migrant workers

Conclusion

1. The research on climate change challenges, impacts, and resilience strategies in Eastern Indonesia has revealed significant obstacles faced by vulnerable communities through their daily experiences
2. Climate change impacts (livelihood difficulties, water scarcity, crop failure, health impacts and lack of support) are tangible and multifaceted, especially for vulnerable communities who experience unique challenge due to the complex interaction of multiple dimensions, such as gender, age, health, ability, and socio-economic status
3. Their efforts to build resilience in Eastern Indonesia, including community-based projects, economic empowerment, and collaboration, aim to adapt effectively to climate challenges

Thank you

Gender Team

Older People team

PWD team

For more info & updates from our research, please scan

bit.ly/InclusiveClimateResilience

Pi, Co-I & MIRO