The Complex Task of Evaluating the Institutional Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change at Local Government Level: A Study of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

Abstract

Climate change impacts are wreaking havoc in South Africa, particularly in the Eastern Cape Province. Hence, adaptation strategies are essential tools in the Eastern Cape, as the province is among the most vulnerable regions to climate change impacts in South Africa. In response and to minimise the adverse impacts of climate change on socioeconomic factors and livelihoods, the post‐apartheid South African government developed a policy framework for climate governance, with a focus on policy planning and adaptation. Although the policy sounds good and solution‐driven, the implementation of the programme at local levels to achieve the desired goals remained a significant challenge due to institutional and capacity challenges. Using research methods inspired by the tradition of qualitative and quantitative research approach and existing literature, this article explored the complexities of evaluating and monitoring the adaptive capacity to climate change governance at a local government level in South Africa, focusing on the Eastern Cape Province. The findings of this article uncovered that the institutional and capacity challenges create an unconducive environment for an evaluation of institutional adaptive capacity to climate change at local government level in South Africa. The absence of a reliable system to assess the institutional adaptive capacity to climate change at local government level makes it difficult to compare the adaptive capacity of different institutions and allocate available resources in an adequate manner. The article recommends a broader discourse of the sustainable development goals, particularly goal number 13, which encourages the strengthening of resilience and adaptive capacity to climate change impacts.