Local Wisdom as Policy Capital: Cirebon's Disaster Resilience Model and Social Policy Reform from a Green Governance Perspective

Abstract

This study analyzes the role of local wisdom as policy capital in strengthening disaster resilience and reforming social policy in Cirebon City through a green governance approach. Although not categorized as a high-vulnerability region like Sumatra, Cirebon faces increasingly complex ecological risks, including tidal flooding, coastal erosion, coastal environmental degradation, and weak social assistance distribution effectiveness. Simultaneously, the Cirebon community possesses rich local wisdom such as sedekah bumi (earth almsgiving), ngalokat cai (gathering of water), mutual cooperation (gotong royong), and communal solidarity, which have proven effective in maintaining socio-ecological balance and strengthening community adaptability. However, this cultural potential has not been optimally institutionalized in regional public policy, resulting in a gap between community social capital and top-down, administrative, technocratic policy formulation. This study uses a qualitative approach with normative analysis methods on disaster regulations and social policies, regional policy reviews, and field observations in vulnerable coastal areas of Cirebon. The research findings indicate that social and disaster policies in Cirebon have not been strategically connected to the community's cultural values and practices, thus ineffective in building long-term resilience. Conversely, local wisdom has a strong adaptive function as a basis for strengthening social capacity, community-based mitigation, and environmental governance. Based on these findings, this article proposes an integrative policy model that includes four main components: (1) formal recognition of local wisdom in public policy design; (2) transformation of social assistance into resilience-strengthening schemes; (3) institutional collaboration between the government, traditional leaders, and communities; and (4) development of green governance indicators based on community resilience. This study concludes that local wisdom is a strategic policy asset in building inclusive, ecological, and sustainable disaster management and social policies. Integrating cultural values into a green governance framework not only strengthens community resilience but also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of climate action, terrestrial ecosystems, and responsive institutions.