OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development
Open-access peer-reviewed journal
https://doi.org/10.64211/oidaijsd190303
Understanding climate vulnerability, infrastructure gaps, and social support in coastal fishing communities: a preliminary factor study from Thiruvananthapuram, India
Anjitha M C 1*, Sharmistha Bhattacharjee 2
1,2 Department of Sociology, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, India.
*Corresponding author email: mcanjitha7@gmail.com
Volume 19, Issue 03, Pg. 29-38, 2026.
Abstract: Kerala boasts of the highest quality of life in the country as measured by human development indicators and accounts for the 20% of national fish production .Even though, coastal fishing communities are highly prone to climatic challenges and infrastructural impoverishment that directly effect on their quality of life and livelihood security. Increase of sea surface temperature, sea level rise, ocean acidification, heavy rainfall, extreme events like storms, erosion, flooding, salt water intrusion, cyclones, El Nino and drought are the important climate change indicators that impose threats to the sustainable livelihood of fishing communities which directly affects the infrastructure facilities of the area. This study explores the key dimensions of climate stress/environmental vulnerability, access to basic services, and social security among fishing communities in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Primary data were collected using a bilingual structured and semi-structured questionnaire as well as interviews. Using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with Principal Component Analysis extraction and Varimax rotation, three different but interconnected factors identified as latent challenges hindering the quality of life among fisherman: (1) Environmental Vulnerability, indicates climate related challenges in coastal areas; (2) Social Security, represent the access of government schemes and programs to fishers (3) Basic Amenities, shows the living conditions of fisherman households. The findings revealed that all the three factors are interrelated but stand as a separate threat to the quality of life among fishing communities. The scree plot represents three factor solution made specific that environment vulnerabilities, lack of social support and access to basic amenities together can be the major reason for marginalization of coastal areas. Social support system moderates the intensity of the risk of climate stress and lack of basic living. These findings underscore the significance of inclusive policy framework to enhance the infrastructure to tackle environmental vulnerabilities and social support in vulnerable coastal areas.
Keywords: climate vulnerability; coastal development; fishing communities; infrastructure gaps; social support.
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