A simple research proposal about 'How could qualitative methods be Essay

A simple research proposal about 'How could qualitative methods be used to explore the connections between poverty and climate c - Essay Example The most common human activity contributing to climate change is the emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon (Desonie, 2008). Greenhouse gases are emitted via the consumption of fossil fuels, deforestation and the burning of forests as a means of creating agricultural and/or ranch lands (Desonie, 2008). A review of literature suggests that some scholar believe that there is a link between poverty and climate change. For example, Dessler (2009) argued that while developed states have targeted key dates for the reduction of carbon emissions, a vast majority of developing countries have no such plans. In addition, it is argued that there is connection between poverty and environmental damages because the poor spend their time and efforts attempting to relieve hunger (Gray & Moseley, 2005). This often means overusing natural resource (Gray & Moseley, 2005). Gray and Moseley (2005) argud, however, that a link between poverty and climate change is difficult to make when one conside rs the environmental damages attributed to industries. Davy (2009) also pointed out that the middle and upper classes have far more access to land and thus natural resources, than the poor does. Studies testing or analysing the connection between poverty and climate change have produced mixed results. For example, a study conducted by Martuzzi, Mittis and Forasteire (2010) showed a link between poverty and poor waste management in the US and Europe since 1983. The study, however, was based on secondary evidence comprised of reports in the literature demonstrating that disadvantaged areas usually reflected poorer waste management than other areas (Martuzzi, et al., 2010). A study conducted by Xenopoulos, Lodge, Alcamo, Marker, Schulze, and Van Vuuren (2005) established a link between fish and river biodiversity and the poor. In this study, Xenopoulos et al. (2005) examined fish and river water loss. The results of the study indicated that fish loss is due to river water loss and this was more prevalent in poor countries where river water was a source of drinking water (Xenopoulos et al., 2005). The combination of climate change and water consumption contributed to water and fish loss in poor countries indicating that the poor, contributed to climate change. Scherr (2000) asserted that ‘recent micro-scale empirical research’ showed that poor areas are able to adapt to environmental policies, and thus there is no realistic empirical basis for claiming that there is a connection between poverty and climate change. According to Scherr (2000), marginalisation and a lack of economic resources expose the poor to environmental damages. In other words, the poor are victims of climate change as opposed to the contributor to climate change. As qualitative case study conducted by Brouwer, Akter, Brander and Hague (2007) supported this conclusion. Brouwer et al. (2007) conducted a survey on 700 low-income homes in a flood prone area of Bangladesh. The results o f the study found that the lower the income of the family, the higher the risk of flood damages. The poorer families lacked the resources to mitigate the risk of flood damages (Brouwer et al., 2007). Qualitative case studies on residents in four UK coastal communities using interviews of residents and a