Socio-Economic and Eco-Biological Dimensions in Resource Use …
3
their rate of regeneration (Stephenson et al. 2010; Krauss and Kastning 2016). The
impacts will be magnified because the increased population will be located primarily
in cities, often in low-lying areas sensitive to storm surges and floods, in vulnerable
agricultural areas, and in vulnerable eco-regions. Furthermore, current patterns of
energy and natural resource use, agricultural practices, and urbanization appear to be
largely unsustainable and may lead to increased economic, social, and environmental
costs and decreased productivity (Steer 2014).
Very often, global environmental change has been linked to high consumption in
developed countries, while its estimated impact is greatest on people in the developing
world. The poorest people in vulnerable regions of the world are at severe risk
(Stephenson et al. 2010; Feulner 2015), thereby necessitating safeguarding of rural
livelihoods and ensuring sustainable development (Agarwal et al. 2019). Such people
may be forced to migrate to areas that are environmentally marginal thus leaving them
more vulnerable and more likely to exploit new resources in an unsustainable way.
This, in turn, may lead to a vicious cycle of poverty and degradation weakening the
capacity of poor communities to adapt (Stephenson et al. 2010). In essence, previous
and future variations in climate predispose a huge portion of global population in the
developing nations to major threats (Feulner 2015).
Research is urgently needed at micro level to come up with adequate strategies
for sustainable conservation of key resources and biodiversity without depleting
the natural resource base. Issues such as the contribution of population growth,
migration, urbanization, and household composition need proper understanding and
clarification. Important questions that deserve scientific investigation include proper
recording and detailed examination of adaptation approaches of people, investigation of the mechanism of impact of demographic factors (e.g. growth rates, composition, spatial distribution and education levels) on their coping ability, analysis of the
influence of fast growth of population and rapid industrialization in sensitive ecoregions (e.g. population structure, water availability, food and shelter requirements
and labour markets). Mapping characteristics of migrant flows, including seasonal
patterns, duration and destination to aid adaptation strategies, mapping availability
of water according to spatially vulnerable groups over time form important aspects in
order to identify adaptation strategies, and contribute effectively to UN-Sustainable
Development Goals by 2030 (SDG 2015). Study of the impact of population pressure on equity and distribution of water and agriculture is imperative for developing
strong measures of vulnerability (Stephenson et al. 2010; Kattumuri 2018).
India is a mega-diverse country in terms of both biodiversity and people. The
mountainous region covers an area close to 100 million hectares, arid and semiarid zones are spread over 30 million hectares and the coastline is about 8000 km
long (MoEFCC 2009). It represents 2 ‘realms’ (the Himalayan region represented
by Palearctic realm and the rest of the sub-continent represented by Malayan realm),
5 biomes (tropical humid forests; tropical dry deciduous forests, including monsoon forests; warm deserts and semi-deserts; coniferous forests; alpine meadows),
10 biogeographic zones and 27 biogeographic provinces. With only 2.4% of the
global land area, India is home to 7–8% of all species recorded, including plants
(over 45,000 species) and animals (over 91,000 species) (IUCN 2019). Although
3
their rate of regeneration (Stephenson et al. 2010; Krauss and Kastning 2016). The
impacts will be magnified because the increased population will be located primarily
in cities, often in low-lying areas sensitive to storm surges and floods, in vulnerable
agricultural areas, and in vulnerable eco-regions. Furthermore, current patterns of
energy and natural resource use, agricultural practices, and urbanization appear to be
largely unsustainable and may lead to increased economic, social, and environmental
costs and decreased productivity (Steer 2014).
Very often, global environmental change has been linked to high consumption in
developed countries, while its estimated impact is greatest on people in the developing
world. The poorest people in vulnerable regions of the world are at severe risk
(Stephenson et al. 2010; Feulner 2015), thereby necessitating safeguarding of rural
livelihoods and ensuring sustainable development (Agarwal et al. 2019). Such people
may be forced to migrate to areas that are environmentally marginal thus leaving them
more vulnerable and more likely to exploit new resources in an unsustainable way.
This, in turn, may lead to a vicious cycle of poverty and degradation weakening the
capacity of poor communities to adapt (Stephenson et al. 2010). In essence, previous
and future variations in climate predispose a huge portion of global population in the
developing nations to major threats (Feulner 2015).
Research is urgently needed at micro level to come up with adequate strategies
for sustainable conservation of key resources and biodiversity without depleting
the natural resource base. Issues such as the contribution of population growth,
migration, urbanization, and household composition need proper understanding and
clarification. Important questions that deserve scientific investigation include proper
recording and detailed examination of adaptation approaches of people, investigation of the mechanism of impact of demographic factors (e.g. growth rates, composition, spatial distribution and education levels) on their coping ability, analysis of the
influence of fast growth of population and rapid industrialization in sensitive ecoregions (e.g. population structure, water availability, food and shelter requirements
and labour markets). Mapping characteristics of migrant flows, including seasonal
patterns, duration and destination to aid adaptation strategies, mapping availability
of water according to spatially vulnerable groups over time form important aspects in
order to identify adaptation strategies, and contribute effectively to UN-Sustainable
Development Goals by 2030 (SDG 2015). Study of the impact of population pressure on equity and distribution of water and agriculture is imperative for developing
strong measures of vulnerability (Stephenson et al. 2010; Kattumuri 2018).
India is a mega-diverse country in terms of both biodiversity and people. The
mountainous region covers an area close to 100 million hectares, arid and semiarid zones are spread over 30 million hectares and the coastline is about 8000 km
long (MoEFCC 2009). It represents 2 ‘realms’ (the Himalayan region represented
by Palearctic realm and the rest of the sub-continent represented by Malayan realm),
5 biomes (tropical humid forests; tropical dry deciduous forests, including monsoon forests; warm deserts and semi-deserts; coniferous forests; alpine meadows),
10 biogeographic zones and 27 biogeographic provinces. With only 2.4% of the
global land area, India is home to 7–8% of all species recorded, including plants
(over 45,000 species) and animals (over 91,000 species) (IUCN 2019). Although