Reimagining North-South Research Collaborations in the Face of Global Climate Change: Strengthening the Role of ICTs in Adaptation Strategies

Reimagining North-South Research Collaborations in the Face of Global Climate Change: Strengthening the Role of ICTs in Adaptation Strategies

Joram Ndlovu & Douglas Nyathi

Issue: Vol.6 No.14 Article 44 pp.3990 – 4007
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561444 | Published online 30th December, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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ABSTRACT

The escalating impacts of global climate change and variability pose unprecedented challenges, particularly for the Global South, which bears a disproportionate burden of environmental change. The objective of this study was to examine how North–South research collaborations could strengthen climate change adaptation in developing regions by leveraging information and communication technologies (ICTs), identifying key barriers and enablers, and proposing a framework for co-designed, scalable ICT-enabled adaptation strategies that are responsive to local contexts and policy needs. Document analysis and systematic literature review were adopted as methodologies. The findings show how an ICT intervention organizes changes in communication patterns aimed at reducing climate change vulnerability and exposure. Moreover, ICTs can strengthen local capacity-building efforts, ensuring that adaptation strategies are tailored to specific contexts and are scalable and sustainable. The paper concludes that northern institutions often lead funding, data, and infrastructure, while southern partners contribute local knowledge, context, and implementation pathways. Therefore, ICT interventions must be part of the bigger and ongoing climate change adaptation agenda. The paper recommends a transition towards more collaborative, technology-driven North-South partnerships prioritizing equitable knowledge dissemination and capacity enhancement and promoting cross-cultural collaboration and capacity building to improve modelling and scenario planning. There is a need to invest in infrastructure and to use ICT for co-creation and decision support. By formalizing equitable cooperation arrangements, including co-authored intellectual property, co-led publications, shared leadership responsibilities, and transparent financial allocations, such partnerships can play a crucial role in tackling the multifaceted challenges of global climate change and fostering resilience in vulnerable regions.

Keywords: North-South cooperation, Information and Communication Technologies, Adaptation, Resilience, knowledge exchange

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ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

Joram Ndlovu is an Associate Professor in the School of Arts at the University of KwaZulu‑Natal. His prolific scholarly contributions include numerous publications across interdisciplinary domains, including but not limited to tourism enterprises, digitalization, destination branding, cultural and heritage tourism, and social well-being. Prof. Ndlovu’s research interests are particularly focused on the intricate intersections of livelihoods, climate change, and indigenous knowledge systems. He critically investigates how indigenous communities utilize traditional ecological knowledge to navigate and adapt to environmental challenges. His scholarly interests delve into the mechanisms by which these communities leverage their cultural heritage and knowledge to foster resilience against climate-induced disruptions.

Douglas Nyathi is a scholar and development practitioner whose work centres on climate resilience, rural livelihoods, and decolonial development in Southern Africa. He brings extensive experience in research, policy analysis and community-focused programming. His scholarship is driven by a commitment to social justice, inclusive development, and transformative knowledge production.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Ndlovu, Joram, and Douglas Nyathi. “Reimagining North-South Research Collaborations in the Face of Global Climate Change: Strengthening the Role of ICTs in Adaptation Strategies.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 14 (2025): 3990-4007, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561444