The Social Dimensions of Climate Change

This note examines the relationships between climate-related vulnerabilities, adaptation practices, institutions, and external interventions to show the role and importance of local institutions in climate change. It proposes an analytical framework to classify adaptation practices based on their relationship to different forms of environmental risks. It examines past adaptation responses to climate change, their impacts on the livelihoods of the rural poor, and the role of institutions in facilitating external support for adaptation. The discussion uses evidence from two sets of cases – those in the UNFCCC coping strategies database, and in the National Adaptation Programs of Action (NAPAs) – to comparatively assess the role of local rural institutions in facilitating adaptation. Focusing on three types of institutions public, private, and civic, a review of case studies indicates that local institutions play a crucial role in shaping adaptation to climate change: they connect households to local resources and collective action; determine flows of external support to different social groups, and link local populations to national interventions. The lessons from this review are finally used to make recommendations about the operational significance of local institutions and institutional analysis in the context of climate change.