Local Public Employees’ Perceptions of Climate Change Adaptation Capacity in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

This study examines the perceptions of local government officials regarding adaptive capacity to climate change in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. While previous research often emphasizes technical or structural aspects, this study offers a perception-based and multidimensional approach, capturing institutional views from within key climate-sensitive agencies. Data were collected through a structured survey involving 576 purposively selected respondents from five provincial departments. Adaptive capacity was assessed across five dimensions: environmental, social, financial, political, and human resources. The results reveal relatively high awareness of environmental issues and internal collaboration, yet significant weaknesses in financial resources, public engagement, and human capital. Regression analysis shows that environmental capacity strongly influences social and political capacities, while financial capacity significantly affects perceptions of human resources. Differences in perceived capacity across institutions also suggest sectoral disparities, with environment-focused agencies demonstrating stronger adaptive readiness. These findings underscore the need for integrated policy strategies that address institutional, financial, and human resource gaps in climate adaptation at the subnational level. The study contributes to literature by advancing a perception-based framework suited to decentralized governance contexts in developing countries. While limited to the provincial level, the approach provides a replicable model for assessing adaptive capacity in other resource-constrained regions of the Global South. Future studies could expand this framework to include regency-level perspectives and longitudinal assessments.

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