South Asia and Climate Change: Unravelling the Conundrum

267 Pages·2021·4.551 MB·English

by  Mausumi Kar (editor), Jayita Mukhopadhyay (editor), Manisha Deb Sarkar (editor)

South Asia and Climate Change
This book provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary examination of the
diverse aspects of climate change in South Asia. The region, home to almost 4%
of the world’s population, is under serious threat from climatic disasters. The
volume underscores the urgency of addressing cataclysmic events related to climate
change and their ramifications on the economy, agriculture and livelihoods of the
region. The book discusses the reasons causing climate change as well as highlights
normative and ethical considerations involved in the battle against climate change.
With case studies from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, it explores issues such as
extreme climatic events; energy use, fossil fuels, non-renewable resources and carbon
dioxide emission in South Asia; internal migration and climate refugees; the ethical
dilemma of sustainable development; technological advancements for extreme
weather forecasts; and responses to climate change in South Asia. Highlighting the
need for striking a balance between developmental imperatives and environmental
sustainability, the chapters also show the North-South divide in the research agenda
and policies on climate change and the global politics that underlie climate policies.
The volume juxtaposes a scientific analysis of factors responsible for climate change
with an analysis of the human cost of climate change from the perspective of social
sciences. It discusses the challenges faced by developing countries while also offering
recommendations and solutions.
This book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of climate studies,
geography, public policy and governance, sustainable development, development
studies, environmental studies, political studies, international relations, political
economy, economics and sociology. It will also be useful to practitioners, think tanks,
policymakers and civil society organisations working on environmental management.
Mausumi Kar is Associate Professor of Economics, Women’s Christian College,
Kolkata, India, and Guest Faculty of International Economics at University of
Calcutta, India.
Jayita Mukhopadhyay is Associate Professor of Political Science, Women’s Christian
College, Kolkata, India, and former Guest Faculty, Department of International
Relations, Jadavpur University, India.
Manisha Deb Sarkar is former Associate Professor and former Head, Department of
Geography, Women’s Christian College, Kolkata, India, and former Guest Faculty
at University of Calcutta, Jadavpur University and West Bengal State University,
Barasat, India.

‘This volume on climate change in South Asia, edited by Kar et al., is a
significant addition to the available literature on climate change in one of
the most vulnerable and populous regions of the world. In particular, the
emphasis on extreme weather conditions and recurrent natural disasters is
an excellent and timely intervention. Strong evidence with analytical rigor
makes it an invaluable reference to researchers and policy makers.’
Sugata Marjit, Distinguished Professor, Indian Institute
of Foreign Trade, Kolkata; Former Director, Centre
for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta, and Former
Vice-Chancellor, Calcutta University, India

South Asia and Climate
Change
Unravelling the Conundrum
Edited by Mausumi Kar, Jayita
Mukhopadhyay and Manisha
Deb Sarkar
First published 2022
By Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa
business
© 2022 selection and editorial matter, Mausumi Kar, Jayita
Mukhopadhyay and Manisha Deb Sarkar; individual chapters, the
contributors
The right of Mausumi Kar, Jayita Mukhopadhyay and Manisha
Deb Sarkar to be identified as the authors of the editorial material,
and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in
accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-0-367-47812-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-03670-0 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-04573-1 (ebk)
Typeset in Sabon
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Contents
List of figures ix
List of tables xi
List of contributors xiii
Preface xvii
PART I
Climate change in South Asia: emerging issues and trends 1
1 Contemporary issues of climate change in South Asia:
a synthesis 3
MAUSUMI KAR
2 Extreme climatic events: a review of trends,
vulnerabilities and adaptations in the South
Asia Region 15
SATYABRATA MANDAL, PRADIP PATRA, ANWESHA HALDAR AND
LAKSHMINARAYAN SATPATI
3 Energy use and carbon dioxide emissions in South Asia:
a decomposition analysis 48
UJJAINI MUKHOPADHYAY AND RATNAKAR PANI
PART II
Climate change–induced human migration: concerns for
environmental refugees 67
4 Nature and characteristics of climate change–induced
human migration in South Asia 69
MANISHA DEB SARKAR
viii Contents
5 Impacts of climate change on migration and economic
growth: South Asian perspectives 83
MOUSHAKHI RAY
6 Climatic refugees: internal migration in the face of climate
change in India 104
SRIJAN BANERJEE
PART III
Responses to climate change from South Asian nations 139
7 India’s commitment to counter climate change in South
Asia: a critical evaluation 141
JAYITA MUKHOPADHYAY
8 Evaluating the viability of shrimp aquaculture to impede
climate change in the Sundarbans: experiences
from Bangladesh 156
ANINDYA BASU, GOURANGA NANDY AND NABENDU SEKHAR KAR
9 Sri Lanka’s natural vulnerabilities: a political case study
of the 2004 tsunami, its aftermath and responses 189
SREYA MAITRA
PART IV
Adaptation strategies to combat the challenge: from
theory to praxis 201
10 Ethical dilemma of sustainable development as combat
mechanism to climate change 203
SARBANI GUHA GHOSAL
11 Technological developments for monitoring/forecasting
extreme weather over South Asia 220
SANJIB BANDYOPADHYAY AND GANESH KUMAR DAS
Index 243
Figures
2.1 Location of the South Asia Region along with the
spatial configurations of eight countries in the region 16
2.2 Tracks of severe cyclonic storms across the North
Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea for the
period 1981–2017 32
3.1 Growth of the factors (expressed as number of times
that of the base year) 54
3.2 Percentage change in composition of primary energy
from 1980 to 2015 58
4.1 Multiple causes of climate changes and their impacts 76
6.1 Temporal changes in the course of the river Ganga 112
6.2 Daily mean rainfall in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
from October to December, 2015 118
6.3 Flood-affected districts of Tamil Nadu in 2015 119
6.4 Trend in rate of urbanization in Tamil Nadu,
1901–2011 122
8.1 Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR) of India 158
8.2 Proliferation of aquacultural firms along the south-
western part of Bangladesh Sundarban forest margin 165
8.3 Gradual increase in areas affected by high salinity with
extensive spread of shrimp firms between 2000 and
2009, along south-western part of Bangladesh covering
districts of Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat 168
11.1 Activity of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) 221
11.2 (a) and 11.2(b) Radar (a) and satellite (b) pictures
(IMD) for nowcasting 224
11.3 Automatic weather station 226
11.4 GPS balloon 227
11.5 Satellite product 228
11.6 Max (Z) from DWR Kolkata 229
11.7 Various NWP products 230
11.7(a) Mean sea level pressure (MSLP) 230