Analysing Vulnerability to Climate Change in India with Special Reference to Drought Risk: Results from a Field Survey (original) (raw)

Climate Change Challenge (3C) and Social-Economic-Ecological Interface-Building, 2016

Abstract

India faces considerable threat from changing climatic conditions locally and globally. Drought risk is one such threat which is projected to increase in frequency and intensity under such changing conditions. Many households are expected to suffer from these changes and associated risks such as drought. These risks may expose many vulnerable households in the absence of effective mitigation and adaptation measures. This study analyses climate change and drought risk vulnerability of marginal households exposed to such hazards. For this purpose, a field survey of 220 households in Balangir district of Odisha state in India was carried out using multistage random sampling technique. Using Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) and other indicators of vulnerability to socioeconomic domains defined by IPCC, the current level of household’s exposure and coping capacity is evaluated. Results indicate that vulnerability is a function of both climatic and non-climatic factors. The socio demographic characters like low literacy rates, resource availability and accessibility, social structure, etc., make people more vulnerable whereas access to social networks plays a significant role in uplifting the poor rural households. The research concludes that the impacts of climate change and drought risk expose those households disproportionately who are already vulnerable due to poverty, inequality and marginalisation. Moreover, a need to formulate policies based on regional and local estimates of vulnerability and coping capacity is emphasised for an effective mitigation to climate change and drought risk.

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