Risk, Uncertainty and Maladaptation to Climate Change Policy, Practice and Case Studies

This book focuses on integrated disaster risk reduction arising out of climate change and shows how communities build resilience through adaptive and transformative strategies at the local and global levels. It integrates disaster risk, uncertainty, and maladaptation to climate change with evidence from empirical research and a systematic review of existing studies. The book also proposes two important contributions, which makes it distinctive. First, it gives a systematic review of the literature to capture the changing context and concept of risk, uncertainty, and maladaptation to climate change. Second, it uses case studies from around the globe to demonstrate the ways that communities have fostered to build resilience to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

There is a growing recognition that decision-makers often rely on intuitive thinking processes rather than undertaking a systematic analysis of options in a deliberative fashion. This latter approach requires accepting a plurality of narratives, embracing multiple disciplinary perspectives, and above all, integrating the appropriate disciplines that can help in finding better solutions. Thus, the book adds value to the existing knowledge on climate change adaptation, perception, and policy initiatives to address disaster risk reduction. It considers all these interconnected issues of risk, uncertainty, and maladaptation through a series of conceptual review- and evidence-based case studies to create new knowledge to address climate change adaptation and a resilient future. The book is a useful contribution to resilience scientists, policymakers, and practitioners from diverse disciplines.

Chapter 1. Contextualizing ‘Risk’, ‘Uncertainty’ and ‘Maladaptation’ in the context of Climate change.- Chapter 2. Comforting Lies: Post Truth Politics, Authoritarianism and Climate Change Denial. Chapter 3. Managing risks in the agricultural sector facing climate change: insights from Morocco.- Chapter 4. Climate Change Adaptation, Risk Reduction and Indigenous Knowledge-Based Resilience: A Case of Bonda Tribal Women in Odisha.- Chapter 5. Reducing the Risks of Transboundary Climate Change Impacts in India and Bangladesh: Options for Cooperation.- Chapter 6. On the importance of understanding uncertainties in glacier inventories for assessing climate change impacts: key takeaways from Baspa River Basin.- Chapter 7. Peopling of the Sagar Island in the Indian Sundarbans: A case of maladaptation to climate change.- Chapter 8. “Maladapted” public transport solutions: A Case of Amritsar in Punjab.- Chapter 9. Mountains are calling, for help: an anthropological analysis of tourism induced maladaptation.- Chapter 10. Exploring the potentials of community participation in landslide risk reduction: A case study of Dumsi Pakha in the district of Kalimpong, West Bengal.- Chapter 11. Livelihoods of Farmers Vulnerable to Climate Change: Evidence from Drought Prone Regions of India.- Chapter 12. Religion as a Means to Address Disaster Uncertainty: Case Study of Kullu and Mandi District, Himachal.

Dr. Anindita Sarkar is a Professor at the Department of Geography at Miranda House, University of Delhi, where she has been teaching since 2005. She has completed several projects funded by government and international organizations and has numerous publications in refereed journals and as books. Her research is anchored at the intersection of development and environment and her work shows how technologies and policies of resource use and access shape spaces. Her published work focuses on how policies facilitate or impede water access through institutions influencing food security, water security and livelihood security of people. She has been associated with NCERT, ICSSR, IGNOU, World Bank, IWMI and ACIAR in various capacities. She has been conferred with the UGC Research Award (2016-18). She also received the Delhi University Excellence Awards for teachers for her outstanding contribution to research and academic activities in 2023. At present she works as a senior researcher at the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources Management in the Centre for Development research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Germany.   

Dr. Nairwita Bandyopadhyay currently works as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Geography, Haringhata Mahavidyalaya, affiliated with the University of Kalyani. She holds a Ph.D., M.Phil. and M.A. in Geography from the Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. She was awarded the N.P. Aiyyar Young Geographers Award at the 38th Indian Geography Conference of the National Association of Geographers, India (NAGI), and the Best Paper Award for "Monitoring Vegetative Drought Dynamics with Drought Indices in Gujarat". She has published in peer-reviewed international journals, contributed to book chapters, and authored a book. She has participated in International Seminars and has presented papers in Germany, Spain, Greece, and China. She has also participated in training programs conducted by NASA, theNational Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) under the Government of India, and the World Bank.

Ms. Shipra Singh is an assistant professor at the Department of Geography, Miranda House, University of Delhi, where she has been since 2020. Along with teaching at Miranda House, she is pursuing her PhD on Climate Change and water resource sustainability in Delhi School of economics. she has a master’s degree in geography from Delhi school of economics. she has research experience of more than 8 years. Her research interests include hydrology, environmental geography, agricultural geography, and disaster management. She is a recipient of Senior Research Fellowship Award from the University Grants Commission (UGC). Before joining Miranda House, she has worked in Indian Meteorological Department and GRAIN International Private Limited. She has presented papers at various national and international conferences and published papers in peer reviewed journals.

Dr. Ruchi Sachan is an assistant professor at the Department of Geography, Miranda House, University of Delhi, where she has taught since 2020. She holds a Ph.D. degree in African Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University. She also holds M.Phil. in African Studies and has a master’s degree in Geography. She has also worked as a research officer at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Her research interests include climate change, gender, international politics, environmental security, geo-politics of resources and land policies. She has travelled extensively to gather data from the field, both nationally and internationally. She has research experience of over 8 years. She is a recipient of a Senior Research Fellowship Award from the University Grants Commission (UGC). She has published in peer-reviewed journals and contributed to book chapters and has presented papers at various national and international conferences.