The Influence of Gender Equality, Access to Environmental Resources, and Climate Change Awareness on Community Climate Resilience: A PLS-SEM Approach

Abstract

Climate change impacts communities unevenly, with gender inequalities and unequal access to resources shaping adaptive capacities. This study investigates the structural relationships between gender equality, access to environmental resources, climate change awareness, and community climate resilience. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with participants from climate-vulnerable communities. Constructs were measured using validated scales. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to assess both the measurement and structural models. The measurement model was evaluated for reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. The structural model examined the significance and strength of the relationships, the explanatory power of the model, and predictive relevance. The analysis revealed that gender equality in decision-making, climate change awareness, and access to environmental resources all significantly influence community climate resilience. The results confirm that these factors collectively contribute to enhancing the adaptive capacity of communities facing climate-related challenges. Policies promoting gender-inclusive decision-making, equitable resource access, and climate change education can strengthen community climate resilience. It provides empirical evidence for integrating gender-sensitive approaches into climate policy and environmental planning.