Determinants of Climate Change Adaptive Behavior in Coastal Communities in Southeast Asia

This study sought to understand the determinants of autonomous adaptation of households in coastal communities in three countries (Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam) as regards climate change. The study’s main innovation is its focus on households facing a confluence of related hazards, a context that is unique to coastal communities. The study tackled the interrelated hazards of coastal erosion, flooding, and saltwater intrusion, and used a multivariate probit model to analyze the determinants. Regression results show that households adapt or respond autonomously to a combination of hazards. In  fact,  the  econometric  model  of  joint  decision  cannot  be  rejected  by  the  data.  Geographical differences  were  observed  in  adaptation  patterns, implying  that  households  react  rationally  to  the degree of threats from the hazards. Like in some literature, the study found evidence that planned adaptation may crowd out private or autonomous adaptation. Likewise, trust increases the likelihood of  self-insurance  and self-protection,  especially  against  extreme  events  that  are  either  recurring or permanent. Finally, the households’ adaptive capacity depends partly on the type of hazard and has  a  gender dimension.  In  recurrent  extreme  events,  the  abundance  of  male  labor  increases the likelihood  of  adaptation.  In  permanent  and  creeping  hazards  such  as  saltwater  intrusion, the abundance of female labor increases the likelihood of adaptation.