Navigating environmental fragility: (Mal)coping and adaptation strategies in the socio-environmental system of the Mtendeli Refugee Camp, Tanzania

The study conducts a systems analysis of coping and adaptation strategies in Tanzanian refugee camps, focusing on the Mtendeli camp as a case study. It explores the environmental changes during the stages of the camp’s establishment, development, and closure, along with the responses of local actors. Employing qualitative interviews and remote-sensing data analysis, the research reveals a spectrum of strategies employed by the camp management, host community, and refugees. The findings highlight the interdependence of these strategies and stress the need to address both structural limitations and individual agency, considering the concepts of structural ambivalence and temporal dynamics. Notably, the concept of ‘(mal)coping’ is introduced to describe coping strategies that have short-term benefits but contribute to long-term environmental degradation. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of coping and adaptation dynamics in refugee camp environments. • Examined (mal)coping and adaptation strategies in a refugee camp's socio-environmental system. • Highlighted agency dynamics of refugees and camp management within systemic constraints. • Explored the concept of structural ambivalence and its implications for environmental management. • Proposed flexible and holistic approaches for sustainable environmental management in refugee camps, from establishment to closure.