To innovate and to adapt: Tackling crises in the Ganges delta

The list of crises facing humanity grows longer every day. How can humanity adapt to such crises? What factors does humanity need to nurture for adapting to crises? Recent research suggests that innovation is one such factor. Nonetheless, empirical research on the interconnections between innovation and adaptation is limited. Only a few studies may have explored the innovation-adaptation relationship in the face of “multiple interacting” crises. Therefore, drawing on the coupled, social-biophysical systems approach, this study examines the link between innovation capacity and adaptive capacity by focusing on the Khulna division of Bangladesh in the Ganges delta, a region severely impacted by climate change, salinity intrusion, and polderization and utilizing a comprehensive methodology that combines interviews with 330 households, spatial mapping, secondary data analysis and advanced regression techniques. This study reveals that households with higher innovation capacity exhibit enhanced adaptive capacity, particularly in areas characterized by complex salinity-sedimentation dynamics. This study contributes to the growing body of literature in sustainability science by highlighting the importance of fostering grassroots innovation so that marginalized communities can tackle crises and emphasizing the need for targeted policy interventions that support local innovation, leading to resilient and sustainable livelihoods in the face of escalating social, environmental, and humanitarian challenges.