Evaluation and Analyses of Adaptation Capacity of Local Communities to Climate Hazards (Study Area: Sefidbarg and Bivandsofla Villages, Javanroud County)

Developing countries are severely vulnerable to climate hazards. Global changes in climate patterns and events alter the quality and access to natural resources which leads to a widespread impact on their social and economic systems which is a kind of threat to today's societies and future generations. Rural communities are among the areas most affected by climate hazards and fluctuations, which require adaptive action to protect their livelihoods from the effects of climate hazards, which requires understanding and adaptation measures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the adaptation capacity and its components to climate hazards in two villages of Sefidbarg and Bivandsofla using a combined descriptive-analytic approach based on questionnaire data. The variables included in this study include individual characteristics and adaptation indices to climate hazards including economic, social, infrastructure, personal knowledge, and government. Effectiveness of each component and analysis of data collected were analyzed using statistical techniques. The results showed that the local communities of Bivandsofla village with average of 2.33 and Sefidbarg village with average of 2.88 have low adaptation capacity in the face of climate hazards phenomenon, and low adaptation capacity of these two villages directly related with economic, social, infrastructure, individual knowledge and the government. The infrastructure component also has the highest adaptation capacity and the economic, social, individual knowledge and government components have the lowest adaptability capacity. It is therefore necessary to pay special attention to improving the capacity of societies to adapt to the economic, social, individual and governmental components. Prior knowledge of the factors affecting adaptation capacity and the provision of supportive policies by related organizations may allow for increased adaptive capacity in planning change management strategies.