Community as Solution to Climate Change: Understanding Informal Arrangements to Complement Formal Adaptive Social Protection

27 Pages Posted: 10 Oct 2024

See all articles by John Petrus Talan

John Petrus Talan

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Dominggus Elcid Li

Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change

Hestin Kezia Octalina Klaas

University of Sussex - Institute of Development Studies

Jonatan Lassa

Charles Darwin University; GNS Science

Sagala Aritua Hasiholan Saut

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Debby Paramitasari

Resilience Development Initiative

Victoria Fanggidae

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Maklon Felipus Killa

Universitas Kristen Wira Wacana Sumba

Ayu Krishna Yuliawati

Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia - Indonesia University of Education

Darmawan Prasetya

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Jonatan Lassa

Charles Darwin University

Elsa Christin Saragih

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Sylvinus Jowi Pedor

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Kerstin K. Zander

Charles Darwin University

Matthew Abunyewah

Charles Darwin University

Michael Erdiaw-Kwasie

Charles Darwin University

Abstract

This ethnographic report argues that informal social protection continues to be the first source of support to minimise climate change and disaster losses. Literature suggests that informal social protection takes place within social settings including complex social ties and capital that are formed and connected to each other through rights and obligations to help each other and share risks. Informal protection can be seen as the ability of communities to protect their collective interests against all types of insecurity issues, including climate and disasters. While climate change can also compromise informal arrangements and social capital. Unfortunately, there is barely research on informal social protection in the context of the global conversation around ASP. More comprehensive and transformative approach to adaptive social protection are needed minimise climate loss. This research examines how communities explore opportunities for protection from climate and disaster risk based on the context of Sumba, where the traditional slavery system remains. We asked how communities access informal social protection including social capital to complement formal social protection in the context of climate change and disasters.  Utilising ethnographic interviews during December 2023-May 2024, we found that during recent climatological disasters, communities diversified various forms of protection from kinship, lordship, loan sharks, middlemen, cooperative, banking as well as other forms of reciprocal transfers. This research suggests that without recognising the rich and yet dynamic nature of informal protection, formal ASP might not be transformative and, therefore, less effective due to the complex nature and interaction of formal and informal protection.

Keywords: Adaptive Social Protection, Informal Adaptation, climate change adaptation, community adaptation, disaster risk reduciton, non-economic loss

Suggested Citation

Talan, John Petrus and Li, Dominggus Elcid and Klaas, Hestin Kezia Octalina and Lassa, Jonatan and Saut, Sagala Aritua Hasiholan and Paramitasari, Debby and Fanggidae, Victoria and Killa, Maklon Felipus and Yuliawati, Ayu Krishna and Prasetya, Darmawan and Lassa, Jonatan and Saragih, Elsa Christin and Pedor, Sylvinus Jowi and Zander, Kerstin K. and Abunyewah, Matthew and Erdiaw-Kwasie, Michael, Community as Solution to Climate Change: Understanding Informal Arrangements to Complement Formal Adaptive Social Protection. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4982384 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4982384

John Petrus Talan

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Dominggus Elcid Li

Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change ( email )

Hestin Kezia Octalina Klaas

University of Sussex - Institute of Development Studies ( email )

Brighton
Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RE
United Kingdom

Jonatan Lassa (Contact Author)

Charles Darwin University ( email )

Ellengowan Dr, Casuarina NT
Darwin, 0810
Australia

GNS Science ( email )

1 Fairway Drive
Avalon, 5010
New Zealand

Sagala Aritua Hasiholan Saut

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Debby Paramitasari

Resilience Development Initiative ( email )

Indonesia

Victoria Fanggidae

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Maklon Felipus Killa

Universitas Kristen Wira Wacana Sumba ( email )

Jl. R. Soprapto No 35 Waingapu
Waingapu, NTT 87111
Indonesia

Ayu Krishna Yuliawati

Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia - Indonesia University of Education

Darmawan Prasetya

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Jonatan Lassa

Charles Darwin University

CIFAS
CDU
Darwin, Northern Territory 0909
Australia

Elsa Christin Saragih

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Sylvinus Jowi Pedor

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Kerstin K. Zander

Charles Darwin University ( email )

Matthew Abunyewah

Charles Darwin University ( email )

Ellengowan Dr, Casuarina NT
Darwin, 0810
Australia

Michael Erdiaw-Kwasie

Charles Darwin University ( email )

Ellengowan Dr, Casuarina NT
Darwin, 0810
Australia

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
46
Abstract Views
121
PlumX Metrics