Climate, Adaptation, Inequality and Social Institutions in The Global South: A Sociological Analysis of Institutional Mediation and Differential Vulnerability

ABSTRACT:

Climate adaptation has become a primary priority today with countries in the Global South that are susceptible to climate and the multilayered social and economic inequalities. Despite the fact that the concept of adaptation is often talked about in the context of scientific and policy discussion as a technical or environmental issue, the findings of the paper are that the success of adaptation depends extensively on social institutions mediating the process of resource, power and knowledge allocation. The article is a qualitative meta-synthesis of case studies and peer-reviewed articles in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, which mentions three processes in the institution that reproduce the similar adaptation capacities in a systemic way, namely: gatekeeping, resource capture, and adaptive legitimacy. These processes reveal that the capacity of power systems in the local governance and traditional systems, the development institutions and market forms determine who is incorporated in the adaptation process and beneficiaries. As has been analyzed, the adaptation process is a process of relations and a contested process which has been influenced by historical inequalities, institutionalized practices as well as social identities. The conclusion of the article is that equitable and efficient climate change response is founded on participatory governance, transparent institutions and paying more attention to the knowledge and voice of the marginalized populations. It requires a greater sociological intervention of climate adjusting studies to impact policy that facilitates social justice and strengthens communities.

Keywords: Climate, Adaptation, Inequality, Social Institutions, Global South