Adaptation as a catalyst for social change

Adaptation to climate change is currently characterised by ever-increasing costs to maintain the status quo with respect to climate hazards. This gap is worsened by the fiscal austerity that characterises the current political and economic situation in many countries. These cuts reduce societal resilience through neglected public infrastructure, services and civic spaces generating vulnerability to shocks and an everyday lack of opportunity. Here we argue that without addressing economic austerity, the viability of current approaches to adaptation are severely compromised. Thus, engaging with, and shifting, societal values, norms and objectives in decision-making will be central to a more cost-effective and orderly form of adaptation. This requires amplifying the political voice of communities who often lack the power to effect change. In this framing, adaptation goes beyond (but still includes) responding to hazard, placing greater emphasis on investment in people and advancing their wellbeing. Adaptation becomes a political force driving social change and challenging the logic of economic austerity.

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Publication Details

Journal
PLOS Climate
Published
2026-09-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0001052
Primary Topic
Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Adaptation as a catalyst for social change

Emma L. Yule, Giovanna Gini, Shona K. Paterson, Jaime L. Toney et al.
PLOS Climate
Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration
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Adaptation as a catalyst for social change

Emma L. Yule, Giovanna Gini, Shona K. Paterson, Jaime L. Toney, Rosie Witton, Helen Adams, Ruth Wolstenholme, Raghav Pant, Katie Jenkins, Richard Dawson, Hayley Fowler, Stephen Jones, Shruthi Krishnamoorthy
article en

Abstract

Adaptation to climate change is currently characterised by ever-increasing costs to maintain the status quo with respect to climate hazards. This gap is worsened by the fiscal austerity that characterises the current political and economic situation in many countries. These cuts reduce societal resilience through neglected public infrastructure, services and civic spaces generating vulnerability to shocks and an everyday lack of opportunity. Here we argue that without addressing economic austerity, the viability of current approaches to adaptation are severely compromised. Thus, engaging with, and shifting, societal values, norms and objectives in decision-making will be central to a more cost-effective and orderly form of adaptation. This requires amplifying the political voice of communities who often lack the power to effect change. In this framing, adaptation goes beyond (but still includes) responding to hazard, placing greater emphasis on investment in people and advancing their wellbeing. Adaptation becomes a political force driving social change and challenging the logic of economic austerity.

PLOS ClimateVol. 5(9)
University of East Anglia (GB), Verizon (United States) (US), King's College London (GB), University of Oxford (GB), Department of the Environment (GB), Brunel University of London (GB), University of Glasgow (GB), Newcastle University (GB), University of the Arts London (GB)
Climate action
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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