Suruchi Bhadwal

Adaptation policy and practice in densely populated glacier-fed river basins of South Asia: a systematic review

Rivers are the cultural, social and economic backbone of South Asia, and therefore, the focus of public, political and scientific debate. Himalayan glaciers are the source of numerous large Asian river systems, which support rich ecosystems and irrigate millions of hectares of fields, thereby supporting about a billion people who live in their catchments. Impacts of climate change in river systems are likely to have considerable social, economic, ecological and political implications. This paper reviews literature for three major glacier-fed river systems of South Asia—Brahmaputra, Ganga and Indus—to understand governance mechanisms for climate adaptation in the region. A systematic review methodology is applied to examine adaptation responses in the riparian countries of these Himalayan river basins in three different levels—policy objectives, institutions and practice. Using the “fit for purpose” governance framework, we try to examine how far or near is the region for operationalizing principles of adaptive governance.

Adaptation to changing water resource availability in Northern India with respect to Himalayan Glacier retreat and changing monsoons using participatory approaches

Changes in rainfall patterns and temperatures are likely to affect water resources in India. Also, changes in the extreme events will have direct implications on life and property. Adapting to the adverse effects of climate change becomes critical to avoid huge material and immaterial damages. This paper discusses the use of a multi-level and participatory approach to develop adaptation options to deal with climate related risks in a manner that contributes to stakeholder engagement, understanding of the risks, identification of the adaptation responses as well as its prioritization for risk reduction. It highlights the importance of involving stakeholders from multiple levels as each level corresponds with different priorities in adaptation options.

Mitigation Prospects and Challenges for India in Responding to Climate Change

Although India’s per-capita energy consumption is still a fraction of that in countries of the developed world, its commercial energy use has increased considerably in absolute terms, growing at about 6% during the past two decades and making India the fifth largest country in terms of primary energy consumption. India is currently one of the fastest growing economies of the world, and implications of its levels and patterns of energy use and associated emissions have generated interest globally in the context of discussions related to efficient use of energy and lowering future carbon footprints. Although development is a key concern and a challenge for all developing countries, the magnitude of the challenge differs enormously depending on the existing level of socioeconomic development of the country and the global context it faces at various stages of its development.