Jan Petzold (Geography and Climate Change) researches adaptation to climate change on small islands, with a focus on community-based adaptation. He contributes research directly related to mainstream debates on climate change, including social-ecological resilience, human vulnerability, and social capital. Petzold examines how social relationships shape the adaptability of small island communities and which factors promote or hinder social capital from being an effective element in adaptation, including the role of social networks and levels of trust within a community and its local institutions, as well as regarding inter-island and island-mainland relationships. Petzold uses qualitative and quantitative empirical research methods, e.g., expert and stakeholder interviews, household surveys, and participant observation. More recently he started to focus on evidence synthesis methods, such as systematic maps and reviews, to address the question of how diverse knowledge systems, such as local and indigenous knowledge are important for climate change adaptation. Petzold has conducted empirical research on Helgoland, the Isles of Scilly, the Bahamas, and Madagascar since 2009.