Limitations and opportunities of social capital for adaptation to climate change: a case study on the Isles of Scilly

Abstract

Small islands are among regions most affected by the impacts of global climate change. They are regarded as particularly vulnerable, but from a different point of view, island societies also feature a particular sociocultural resilience, which distinguishes them from continental societies. How do social structures increase the adaptive capacity of small islands towards sea-level rise? I consider the concept of social capital as applicable in order to understand the role of communities and collective action in a context of vulnerability and resilience. In this paper, I present results from a case study on the Isles of Scilly, UK. A mixed methods qualitative approach has been applied to analyse the various roles of social capital for the adaptation to climate change impacts on this small archipelago, which is representative of European small islands in an economically advanced, but isolated context. The Isles of Scilly are among the most vulnerable island regions in Europe. The results of the research contribute to the general discussion on social capital and the relevance of collective action for the adaptation to global climate change. How useful is the concept? And how relevant is it for small islands, such as the Isles of Scilly

Social adaptability in ecotones: sea-level rise and climate change adaptation in Flushing and the Isles of Scilly, UK

“…Such an understanding refers, on the one hand, to the geomorphological dynamics of the intertidal and coastal zone, and on the other hand to changing anthropogenic perceptions, use of, and interference with the coast, as well as the potential of community action in vulnerable areas. This and many other studies (e.g., Baldacchino, 2005;Groome Wynne, 2007;Kilpatrick & Falk, 2003;Petzold, 2016;Petzold & Ratter, 2015) showed that social capital can be an important resource for various purposes on small islands, including adaptation to climate change.…”

“…In Flushing, this involved a semi-structured interview with a representative from the local council, non-structured interviews with local inhabitants, and several observations of erosion and post-flooding conditions of the town. For an extended analysis of the qualitative research approach in the Isles of Scilly, see Petzold (2016).…”

“…How social capital can be relevant for different purposes can be understood by distinguishing different types of social capital. As Petzold (2016) shows, different types of social capital have different implications for access to resources relevant to adaptation. Moreover, the relevance of different types of social capital depends on the institutional setting, geographic conditions, and social and environmental history.…”

Resilience to What? Resilience for Whom?

“…), the experience of this one small neighbourhood in New Orleans is replicated in other places worldwide, as Petzold's example of the Isles of Scilly (2016, this volume) illustrates. It is not just the quantification of the social network or its connectivity, but rather how such networks can be mobilised to benefit the community (Petzold , 116), especially in efforts to adapt to climate change. As the article states, the relevance of social capital for adaptation to climate change is spatially variable and ‘depends on the dimension of vulnerability of the island and its institutional setting’ (p. 122).…”

Political Ecology Approach to Island Tourism Planning and Climate Change Adaptation: A Methodological Exploration

“…An inter-disciplinary approach adds a much-needed critical voice to integrated climate change research because of its focus on finding new methods of finding new knowledge and on applying this new knowledge to particular settings (Murphy, 2011). After all, "adaptation to climate change on small islands is not only a technical challenge, but particularly a political and social task" (Petzold, 2015).…”