Climate Change and Community Resilience: Insights from South Asia

This open access book documents myriads of ways community-based climate change adaptation and resilience programs are being implemented in South Asian countries. The narrative style of writing in this volume makes it accessible to a diverse audience from academics and researchers to practitioners in various governmental, non-governmental and international agencies. At a time when climate change presents humanity with a gloomy future, the stories of innovation, creativity, grassroots engagement and locally applicable solutions highlighted in this book provides insights into hopeful ways of approaching climate solutions. South Asian countries have been dealing with the impact of climate change for decades and thus offer valuable learning opportunities for developing countries within and beyond the region as well as many western countries that are confronting the wrath of climate induced natural disasters more recently. SANDEE has been a pioneer in the development of research and training in environmental economics and related issues in South Asia and Prof Maler has been throughout SANDEE's history, its mentor, and its strongest supporter. Many young economists in South Asia have significantly benefited from Prof Maler's guidance and inputs. The present volume on “Climate Change and Community Resilience: Insights from South Asia” is a fitting tribute and an excellent reflection of Prof Maler's contributions to the SANDEE programme throughout his association. - Mahesh Banskota, Ph.D. Professor, Development Studies School of Arts, Kathmandu University This comprehensive volume aptly identifies grassroots initiatives as the core of the problem of adaptation to climate change. The analysis of the different experiments is lucid, inclusive, and full of interesting detail. The methodologies used and the subjects covered span a range of frameworks and narratives. Put together, the studies are a fitting tribute to Karl-Goran Maler, who spent years putting his impeccable expertise to use for the cause of enhancing research in South Asia. - Kanchan Chopra, Ph.D. Former Director and Professor, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi, and Fellow, SANDEE The slow international policy response to climate change elevates the importance of understanding how communities can respond to climate change’s many threats. This unusually accessible volume provides that understanding for South Asia while being relevant to the rest of the world. Its emphasis on research by scholars from the region makes it a wonderful tribute to Prof. Karl-Göran Mäler, who contributed so much to the growth of environmental economics research capacity in South Asia. - Jeffrey R. Vincent, Ph.D. Clarence F. Korstian Professor of Forest Economics & Management Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, USA

Intro -- In Memory of Karl-Göran Mäler (1939-2020) -- Foreword by Sir Partha Dasgupta -- Foreword by Pema Gyamtsho -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- Editors and Contributors -- 1 South Asian Stories of Climate Resilience -- 1.1 Climate Resilience at the Community Level -- 1.2 Global Struggle with Climate Change -- 1.3 South Asia: A Climate Hotspot -- 1.4 South Asian Stories of Resilience Building -- 1.5 The End of the Beginning -- References -- Part I Concepts and Models -- 2 A Framework for Climate Resilient Community-Based Adaptation -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Key Concepts and Definitions

2.3 The Impact Response Pathway -- 2.3.1 Climate Change Actors -- 2.3.2 Climate Change Enablers -- 2.3.3 Adaptation Gap -- 2.3.4 Limits to Adaptation -- 2.3.5 Loss and Damage -- 2.3.6 Sustainable Development Goals -- 2.3.7 Resilience Principles -- 2.4 Community-Based Climate Adaptation -- 2.4.1 Livelihood Diversification -- 2.4.2 Capacity Building -- 2.4.3 Ecosystem Integrity -- 2.4.4 Infrastructure -- 2.4.5 Microfinance and Insurance -- 2.4.6 Resource Management -- 2.5 CBA Framework for Resilient Communities -- 2.5.1 Context -- 2.5.2 Process -- 2.5.3 Outcome -- 2.6 Conclusions -- References

3 A Survey of Community-Based Adaptation in Developing Countries -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Core Properties of CBA -- 3.3 CBA in Academic Literature -- 3.4 CBA in Gray Literature -- 3.5 Barriers and Challenges to CBA -- 3.6 CBA in Practice -- 3.6.1 Urban Resilience in the Philippines -- 3.6.2 Coastal Resilience in Thailand -- 3.6.3 Livelihood Resilience in Ethiopia -- 3.7 CBA Beyond 2020 -- References -- 4 What Motivates Farm-Level Adaptation in India? A Systematic Review -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Methods and Materials -- 4.3 Factors Influencing Farmer's Adaptive Behaviour: Quantitative Papers

4.3.1 Climate Change and Extreme Events -- 4.3.2 Other Covariate and Idiosyncratic Risks -- 4.3.3 Socio-economic Characteristics of Household and Household Head -- 4.3.4 Farm Characteristics -- 4.3.5 Access to Institutions -- 4.3.6 Risk Attitude Behaviour and Other Variables -- 4.4 Factors Influencing Farmer's Adaptive Behaviour: Qualitative Papers -- 4.5 Concluding Remarks -- Appendix: Summary of Major Findings from the Qualitative Studies -- References -- 5 A Resilience Framework for Climate Adaptation: The Shyamnagar Experience -- 5.1 The Old Guard -- 5.2 Shyamnagar: Life on the Edge

5.3 RAP: A Systems Approach to Community Resilience -- 5.3.1 Step 1: Looking Backward -- 5.3.2 Step 2: In the Present -- 5.3.3 Step 3: Looking Forward -- 5.3.4 Step 4: Looking Inwards -- 5.3.5 Step 5: Looking Outwards -- 5.4 Implementation of RAP in Shyamnagar -- 5.4.1 Socio-ecological History -- 5.4.2 Prevailing Challenges -- 5.4.3 Future Opportunities -- 5.5 RAP Outcomes in Shyamnagar -- 5.6 Lessons from Shyamnagar -- 5.6.1 Scenario Analysis is Useful -- 5.6.2 Visioning with the Community is Valuable -- 5.6.3 Program Density Matters