Many studies indicate that the world’s poorest and most vulnerable will be hardest hit by climate change. As climate-related risks are expected to persist in the future, it is imperative to assess the adaptive capacity of our communities and empower them to reduce their vulnerability.

In a recently published article of the Climate, Disaster and Development (CDD) Journal, experts used factor and cluster analysis to assess and compare the adaptive capacity of indigenous peoples (IPs) to non-IPs in the villages affected by Typhoon Bopha (Pablo) in Eastern Mindanao in 2012. The results revealed that a higher number of IPs have low and very low adaptive capacity than non-IPs. The main factor that lowers the adaptive capacity of the former is (lack of) access to resources including education and calamity support as well as skilled and contract-basis types of employment.

Since no systematic study has ever been conducted to compare the adaptive capacity of IPs and non-IPs in New Bataan’s most affected communities after the landslide and flash flood events in 2012, this paper contributes to the assessments of adaptive behaviour with the ultimate goal of stimulating adaptation support to the most vulnerable people.

The full article, entitled “Adaptive capacity of local communities to flash floods and landslides: Comparison of indigenous and non-indigenous people in Eastern Mindanao”, is authored by Elena A. Eugenio, Lilibeth A. Acosta, Damasa B. Magcale-Macandog, Paula Beatrice M. Macandog, Edwin R. Abucay, Jesse B. Manuta, Rowee Joy S. Decena, Jonel R. Palanas, Marivic B. Hayana, Louela T. Araquil, and Jemimah Mae A. Eugenio.

Visit the CDD Journal website for other research articles on climate, disasters, and development.

CDDJ is an open-access platform for peer-reviewed papers on all aspects and intersections of climate, disasters, and development, and their interaction. Here’s a brief guide if you are interested to publish your paper in CDDJ.