IITs to develop Himalayan climate change vulnerability assessment

Mandi (Himachal Pradesh), March 14 (IANS) The Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati, Indian Institute of Technology-Mandi and Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru have collaborated to develop a climate change vulnerability assessment for the Indian Himalayan region using a common framework, it was announced on Thursday.

The assessment exercise is unique because for the first time all 12 Himalayan states have used a common framework resulting in the production of comparable state-level and within state, district-level vulnerability maps.

Such comparable vulnerability assessments are useful for the governments, implementers, decision makers, funding agencies and development experts to gain a common understanding on vulnerability, enabling them to assess which state is more vulnerable, what has made them vulnerable and how they might address these vulnerabilities.

The framework and the results were presented here at a national workshop on 'Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for States and the Union Territories Using a Common Framework' organised by IIT-Guwahati and IIT-Mandi with support from IISc Bengaluru, the Department of Science and Technology and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

The 12 states are Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, hilly districts of West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.

Highlighting impact of the project, Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, said: "The adaptation to climate change is a collaborative effort between appropriate use of technology, a vision that produces policies, a change at ground level and engaging the local communities."

"These vulnerability maps will play a crucial role in this effort."

Timothy A. Gonsalves, Director IIT-Mandi, said: "Being situated in the Himalayan region, IIT-Mandi is proud to be a part of this vulnerability assessment exercise and a leader in technology in this region."

Deputy Head of Mission of the Swiss Embassy Tamara Mona said: "Switzerland, like India, has a long experience in facing the potential opportunities and risks. Swiss national policy for climate change adaptation has been complemented by local government strategies, based on detailed and locally anchored risks assessment, maps and preparedness, plans and actions."

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