Examining the Interdependencies among Livelihood Capitals and their Role in Shaping Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change in Vulnerable Communities

Abstract

Sustainable livelihood in vulnerable communities is increasingly threatened by factors such as climate change, poverty, and inequitable access to livelihood resources. The Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF) identifies natural, financial, human, social and physical capital as elements for examining how households build resilience and sustain livelihood under such conditions. However, despite extensive application of the SLF across geographic and socio-economic contexts, critical gaps remain in understanding how the interdependencies among these capitals collectively shape adaptive capacity to climate change, especially in vulnerable countries. A systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was used to identify the nature, patterns and implications of livelihood capital interdependencies in the context of climate resilience using peer-reviewed literature through a rigorous search and screening procedure across major academic databases. Results reveal that livelihood capitals are not independent of each other but rather constitute an interdependent system, in which the effectiveness of any single capital depends on the presence and quality of the others. Social capital is identified as the most interconnected capital, with human capital being the most transformative across capitals. Financial capital is highly versatile and functions effectively as a catalyst for other capitals, while Natural capital is the most vulnerable to climate variability and human exploitation, yet it supports all other capitals. Physical capital requires mostly social, human, and financial investment to generate sustainable outcomes. In conclusion, integrated asset-based policy frameworks are required to simultaneously strengthen multiple capitals, advance context-specific implementation strategies, and foster multi-sectoral collaboration to achieve durable livelihood sustainability and climate resilience.