Social Capital and Climate Change: Local Adaptation and Resilience Through Social Capital

Abstract

Climate change presents an escalating global challenge, profoundly impacting ecosystems and human societies through extreme weather events, resource scarcity, and environmental degradation. Achieving sustainability necessitates a balanced integration of environmental preservation with societal well-being, fostering resilience in vulnerable communities. This paper explores the critical role of social capital—the networks, norms, and trust embedded in social structures—in facilitating local climate adaptation and building resilience. Utilizing a combined bibliometric analysis and structured literature review of academic publications, this study examines research trends, identifies key thematic clusters, and synthesizes empirical evidence on how social capital influences adaptive capacities. Unlike previous studies that separately examined social or environmental aspects, this research uniquely integrates bibliometric mapping with contextual literature synthesis to reveal emerging global patterns and knowledge gaps in the social dimensions of climate adaptation. The study further introduces a conceptual linkage between social capital typologies and local resilience mechanisms, offering a new interdisciplinary framework for understanding community-based adaptation. The findings highlight the growing academic interest in this interdisciplinary field, underscore the significance of social networks in local adaptive strategies, and reveal both the enabling mechanisms and persistent barriers to leveraging social capital for effective climate action. This research provides a comprehensive overview for researchers and policymakers seeking to enhance community-led adaptation initiatives. By combining quantitative trend analysis and qualitative synthesis, this research advances scholarly understanding and provides evidence-based recommendations for policymakers seeking to strengthen community-led adaptation initiatives.