and adaptive potential, facing India. These adaptive actions can include enhanced
food system supply and management via improved agricultural practices (both
horticulture and livestock) and changed livelihood arrangements.
4 Climate Change and Vulnerability
The vulnerability of human populations and natural systems to climate change
differs substantially across regions and across populations within regions (He
et al. 2006; Torresan et al. 2008). Climate stress in particular can compromise the
ability of the different branches of the ecosystem to sustain productivity that
influences livelihood of the local people (Archer et al. 2007; Nautiyal and
Kaechele 2008). Such a situation is particularly concerning in the light of projected
increasing climate stress under future climate change due to, for example, increased
frequency of extreme precipitation events (IPCC 2001, 2007; Nautiyal et al. 2013).
The natural and social systems of different regions have varied characteristics,
resources and institutions, and are subject to varied pressures that give rise to
differences in sensitivity and adaptive capacity (Torresan et al. 2008). From these
differences emerge different key concerns for each of the conditions in regional
level in different parts of the world. Within regions, however, impacts, adaptive
capacity and vulnerability will vary and that depicts the particular local environment (Olsson et al. 2004). Therefore, the impact level varies at macro and micro
level. In emerging economies like India, where economic and institutional circumstances are less favourable, socioeconomic systems are much vulnerable to
climate change and such vulnerability is highest where adaptability is much less
than the sensitivity (Wainger et al. 2004). From an Indian perspective, the
Himalayan region, the east coast and west coast are highly sensitive to climate
change, though in different ways. However, adaptive capacities are comparatively
weak. Threatened Himalayan and coastal environmental systems are exposed to
range of hazards connected to climate change (i.e., receding of glaciers, sea-level
rise, increased level of inundation and storm flooding, decrease in rainy days and
high rain fall intensity) that may further lead to landscape degradation and consequently appears in a suite of socioecological impacts (such as loss of habitation, soil
loss, loss of tourism, decline in productivity of the system and migration) (Saxena
et al. 2001, 2005; Ives and Messerli 1989; Olsson et al. 2004; Torresan et al. 2008;
Wills et al. 2008). Olmos (2001) stated that in developing countries adapting to
climate change is an urgent issue as the poor are expected to disproportionately
suffer the impacts of climate change so developing countries should be focus on
vulnerability and adaptation programmes. The chapters by M. Srinivasa Rao et al.
(Chap. 19), Barun Deb Pal (Chap. 13), Arun Kumar et al. (Chap. 22), Mansi et al.
(Chap. 29) Kala S. Sridhar (Chap. 16), Arun B. Chandran and Anushree (Chap. 23)
C.M. Lakshmana (Chap. 7) address the issues of climate change and livelihood
supporting activities. Agriculture which currently accounts for 24 % of world
output uses only 40 % of land area (FAO) and is highly dependent on the climate.
Climate Change Challenge (3C) and Social-Economic-Ecological …
635
food system supply and management via improved agricultural practices (both
horticulture and livestock) and changed livelihood arrangements.
4 Climate Change and Vulnerability
The vulnerability of human populations and natural systems to climate change
differs substantially across regions and across populations within regions (He
et al. 2006; Torresan et al. 2008). Climate stress in particular can compromise the
ability of the different branches of the ecosystem to sustain productivity that
influences livelihood of the local people (Archer et al. 2007; Nautiyal and
Kaechele 2008). Such a situation is particularly concerning in the light of projected
increasing climate stress under future climate change due to, for example, increased
frequency of extreme precipitation events (IPCC 2001, 2007; Nautiyal et al. 2013).
The natural and social systems of different regions have varied characteristics,
resources and institutions, and are subject to varied pressures that give rise to
differences in sensitivity and adaptive capacity (Torresan et al. 2008). From these
differences emerge different key concerns for each of the conditions in regional
level in different parts of the world. Within regions, however, impacts, adaptive
capacity and vulnerability will vary and that depicts the particular local environment (Olsson et al. 2004). Therefore, the impact level varies at macro and micro
level. In emerging economies like India, where economic and institutional circumstances are less favourable, socioeconomic systems are much vulnerable to
climate change and such vulnerability is highest where adaptability is much less
than the sensitivity (Wainger et al. 2004). From an Indian perspective, the
Himalayan region, the east coast and west coast are highly sensitive to climate
change, though in different ways. However, adaptive capacities are comparatively
weak. Threatened Himalayan and coastal environmental systems are exposed to
range of hazards connected to climate change (i.e., receding of glaciers, sea-level
rise, increased level of inundation and storm flooding, decrease in rainy days and
high rain fall intensity) that may further lead to landscape degradation and consequently appears in a suite of socioecological impacts (such as loss of habitation, soil
loss, loss of tourism, decline in productivity of the system and migration) (Saxena
et al. 2001, 2005; Ives and Messerli 1989; Olsson et al. 2004; Torresan et al. 2008;
Wills et al. 2008). Olmos (2001) stated that in developing countries adapting to
climate change is an urgent issue as the poor are expected to disproportionately
suffer the impacts of climate change so developing countries should be focus on
vulnerability and adaptation programmes. The chapters by M. Srinivasa Rao et al.
(Chap. 19), Barun Deb Pal (Chap. 13), Arun Kumar et al. (Chap. 22), Mansi et al.
(Chap. 29) Kala S. Sridhar (Chap. 16), Arun B. Chandran and Anushree (Chap. 23)
C.M. Lakshmana (Chap. 7) address the issues of climate change and livelihood
supporting activities. Agriculture which currently accounts for 24 % of world
output uses only 40 % of land area (FAO) and is highly dependent on the climate.
Climate Change Challenge (3C) and Social-Economic-Ecological …
635