Civil Society Organizations in the Gulf of Mexico and their Capacities to Adapt to Climate Change

Abstract

Knowing the capabilities of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to undertake actions to adapt to climate change is of great importance, as they are key actors in the execution of public policies in this matter. The objective of this research was to assess the capacities of various CSOs to undertake actions aimed at adaptation to climate change after they participated in two projects implemented in the Gulf of Mexico in the period 2011-2018. The primary data collection was through surveys of 23 CSOs participating in the projects and interviews with seven key informants. The results indicate that the CSOs strengthened their capacities to adapt to climate change, specifically, due to their involvement in the projects. The assessment indicated that they have medium to high capacities independent of the CSO’s antiquity. The CSOs with capacities in environmental issues have begun to incorporate actions to respond to the impacts of climate change to reduce the vulnerability of the population, ecosystems, and productive sectors, which has resulted in them acquiring new knowledge in adaptation, allowing them, in turn, to integrate this approach into the projects they carry out and manage.