Bringing Together Voices to Address Climate Change Uncertainty in the Indian Sundarbans

Abstract

The majority of the five million people that live in the deltaic Indian Sundarbans face continuous uncertainties in relation to their shelter, livelihoods, and health. Climate change is one of the key factors aggravating this situation. While scientific evidence exists regarding climatic changes in the Sundarbans, scientists and experts often disagree about how the resulting key challenges should be addressed. The communities in the Sundarbans hold considerable knowledge about these uncertainties and their complex socioeconomic and ecological origins. However, this knowledge is often bypassed in planning and policy. It is vital that the communities’ knowledge and that of experts and scientists be brought together to improve livelihood adaptation and disaster response, and promote more socially just and sustainable outcomes in this vulnerable coastal region of India.