ties  can lead to the establishment of mutual collaboration relations that can be more easily drawn on in times of climate change-related shocks and stresses , while collective shared disaster experiences can cause new social groups to emerge and spur action, linked to a perceived common fate . However, this can exacerbate inequalities and create new ones, with those who are more connected having enhanced access to, for example, shelters following storm evacuations or earthquakes . In adapting to more incremental changes, social capital has been shown to increase shared local knowledge and awareness, support participatory processes and strengthen ties to corporate and political institutions, increasing their responsiveness to local concerns, as shown by examples from Aldrich et al. . They describe how in Houma, Louisiana, located west of New Orleans, rising sea levels and hurricane risks have drawn on and built social capital at the community level. Having what was perceived locally as insufficient federal government support, residents, church groups and town council members collaborated to spur adaptation. Community mobilisation led to construction of self-funded levees and water projects to protect 200,000 residents from storm surges. Projects include marshland restoration, the elevation of existing housing, improved pumping systems and canal drainage, as well as buyouts and relocations of businesses and housing that has been repetitively damaged. Funds were raised from households through donations via a self-imposed sales tax. While this example paints a positive picture of the role of social capital and collective action in adaptation activities, it also raises questions about the coherence of actions across levels, again, highlighting a role for polycentric governance if risks of maladaptation are to be reduced. The danger in the example presented here is that should federal plans conflict with the community level work in the future, local efforts may have been in vain if installations have to be removed. This highlights the importance of careful evaluation of all adaptation options on an ongoing basis.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report