Social Entrepreneurship in the Age of Climate Change: Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development

Abstract

The urgent challenges posed by climate change have underscored the importance of sustainable practices, with social entrepreneurship emerging as a key solution. Social enterprises adopt innovative business models to address environmental issues such as waste reduction, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture, generating both ecological and socio-economic benefits. This study examines the role of social entrepreneurship in providing climate solutions and fostering sustainable development. Using a qualitative research approach, data were collected from in-depth interviews with 30 social entrepreneurs and organizational documents on sustainability practices.
The findings reveal that social enterprises reduce carbon emissions by an average of 35% compared to traditional businesses, with notable success in waste management and renewable energy adoption. Community partnerships are identified as critical for enhancing local ownership and sustainability, while innovation drives efficiency and impact. Despite these achievements, financial constraints and regulatory barriers remain significant challenges, limiting the scalability of these initiatives.
To overcome these barriers, actionable recommendations include increasing impact investments to provide necessary funding, developing supportive policies that incentivize sustainable practices, and strengthening community partnerships to enhance local engagement. These strategies can enable social enterprises to expand their climate solutions effectively, contributing to long-term environmental resilience and socio-economic development.
This study highlights the transformative potential of social entrepreneurship in addressing climate challenges and emphasizes the need for systemic support to maximize its impact on sustainability.