“In the Time of Frost: El Niño and the Political Ecology of Vulnerability in Papua New Guinea”

This paper looks at how people in the Papua New Guinea highlands have responded to food shortages caused by El Niño events. In the past, communities coped through strong socio-ecological systems, such as moving to lower altitudes where extended family offered support. As economic development weakens these social ties and traditional practices, populations have become more vulnerable. The paper explores how these shifts, along with politics and aid efforts, affect local resilience to environmental and food crises.