Social Capital for Climate Change- Climate targets will stay elusive without stronger social capital

Source: The post social capital for climate change has been created on the article “Climate targets will stay elusive without stronger social capital” published in “Live Mints” on 4th December 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS paper 1 – Society – Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India & GS paper 3 – environment- climate change

News: The article discusses the challenges of tackling climate change, especially in diverse societies like India. It highlights the need for societal cooperation and social capital to implement environmental policies. The author worries that India’s diversity and current political climate make this cooperation difficult.

What is social capital?

Social capital is the ability to get benefits and solve problems by being part of social networks. It includes relationships between people and groups, trust within these relationships, and the advantages gained from these connections.

People build social capital through participation in various social, political, and professional activities, and through informal interactions like those with family and friends. Strong networks where people know each other in different ways also boost social capital.

What are the challenges of tackling climate change in diverse Indian societies?

Diverse Societal Structure: India’s vast diversity in language, caste, and culture makes it hard for people to unite for common causes like climate change.

Low Social Cooperation: The diversity leads to low social capital, meaning people trust and cooperate less, especially with those different from themselves. This will lead to challenges in policy implementation at the grassroots level.

Civic Engagement Issues: The limited sense of ‘us’ beyond immediate groups like family or community makes city-wide or national environmental initiatives challenging to execute.

Impact of Political Climate: Current political trends in India might be weakening the social capital needed for collective environmental actions.

What should be done?

Build Social Capital Across Groups: Develop mechanisms that enhance trust and cooperation among diverse groups, as social capital is crucial for collective action. This involves bolstering communal engagement and encouraging cooperative civic action. By transcending narrow group identities, broader environmental concerns can be more effectively addressed.

Align Policy with Diversity: Adapt environmental policies to suit the unique cultural and societal landscape of India, acknowledging its diverse population.

Counteract Divisive Politics: Address the issue of political and social divisions that weaken the collective approach necessary for environmental initiatives.

Focus on Inclusive and Practical Environmental Solutions: Implement solutions that consider economic viability and cultural acceptability, such as investment in renewable energy and electric vehicles, which are both environmentally friendly and economically sensible.

Question for practice:

Discuss how can social capital be developed in India’s diverse society to effectively tackle climate change?