Public Governance in the Face of Health Crisis and Climate Change: Impact on Socio-Ecological Resilience in Two South Asian Countries

Public management is transcendental to face the crises that a nation is going through; the ability of governments to anticipate and coordinate effective responses based on the national reality, guaranteeing the distribution of resources and essential services, is decisive to face disturbances. This capacity, translated as resilience, is the ability to manage unexpected changes or disturbances, in a socio-ecological approach that understands the interaction of society and nature as a synergistic whole. This research aims to analyze how public management is dealing with the climate and health crisis in some South Asian countries (Nepal and Pakistan) and how it impacts socio-ecological resilience; this analysis will be done using the seven principles of resilience proposed by researchers from the Stockholm Resilience Centre, investigating how government decisions increased the state of vulnerability given its importance in transforming adversity into an opportunity for reconstruction, strengthening social ties and contributing to a sustainable future. Finally, it is concluded that adaptive policies, investments in resilient infrastructure, and social support mechanisms would make the difference between extreme vulnerability and the ability of communities to overcome the impacts of these global crises.