Island Erosion and Afflicted Population: Crisis and Policies to Handle Climate Change

Ghosh, Tuhin; Hajra, Rituparna; Mukhopadhyay, Anirban

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-04489-7_15

Cited by 19 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In some cases, such as Jambudwip Island, the total area lost has been over 50% ( [79], Figure 4). Sagar Island has shrunk by 15%, and three other islands, Lohachahara, Suparibhanga and Bedford, have completely disappeared, whilst Ghoramara Island has been eroded significantly, displacing scores of people [86].…”

Section: Internal Mangrove Dynamics-climate Change and Human Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Indian Sundarban Mangrove Forests: History, Utilization, Conservation Strategies and Local Perception

et al. 2015

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Covering approximately 10,000 km 2 the Sundarbans in the Northern Bay of Bengal is the largest contiguous mangrove forest on earth. Mangroves forests are highly productive and diverse ecosystems, providing a wide range of direct ecosystem services for resident populations. In addition, mangroves function as a buffer against frequently occurring cyclones; helping to protect local settlements including the two most populous cities of the world, Kolkata and Dhaka, against their worst effects. While large tracts of the Indian Sundarbans were cleared, drained and reclaimed for cultivation during the British colonial era, the remaining parts have been under various protection regimes since the 1970s, primarily to protect the remaining population of Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. tigris). In view of the importance of such forests, now severely threatened worldwide, we trace the areal change that the Indian Sundarbans have undergone over the last two-and-a-half centuries. We apply a multi-temporal and multi-scale approach based on historical maps and remote sensing data to detect changes in mangrove cover. While the mangroves' areal extent has not changed much in the recent past, forest health and structure have. These changes result from direct human interference, upstream development, extreme weather events and the slow onset of climate change effects. Moreover, we consider the role of different management strategies affecting mangrove conservation and their intersection with local livelihoods.

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Section: Internal Mangrove Dynamics-climate Change and Human Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Indian Sundarban Mangrove Forests: History, Utilization, Conservation Strategies and Local Perception

et al. 2015

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“…Framing de facto and de jure land scarcity Persistent coastal erosion is the prime agent perpetuating land scarcity and producing real-time landlessness. Several scholars have attempted to assess the rates of erosion and the extent of land loss resulting in escalating land scarcity for coastal communities in Bengal (Kar & Bandyopadhyay, 2015;Ghosh et al, 2014;Pal & Ghosh, 2018;Mukhopadhyay et al, 2018). The more imperceptible process augmenting land scarcity can be attributed to consistent land degradation in which salinization of the top soil is the most important factor (Reuters, 2015;Raha, 2013).…”

Section: Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land scarcity and land access in a hazard‐prone island: Sagar, Indian Sundarbans

Mallik

Bandyopadhyay

Bandopadhyay

2023

Singap J Trop Geogr

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The analytical inseparability of natural environment and society is reiterated by the findings of this study which contributes to a genre of studies that centre‐stages the socio‐ecological system. This study seeks to understand the interplay of state‐related and other modes of securing property rights in the context of pervasive coastal hazards through a case study from the Indian Sundarbans region (Sagar Island in West Bengal). This paper also contributes to research pertaining to slow‐onset disasters and attempts to examine emerging dimensions of land scarcity as well as diverse modes of access to land in the context of progressive ecological vulnerability. The analysis highlights the varying shades of declining land access and investigates how existing land policies and disaster management mechanisms remain far from extending security to communities experiencing environmental crisis. The paper thereby examines how community and state agencies adopting means to allocate property may in fact refute legality and perpetuate informality.

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“…However, in the last few decades, a delayed onset and recession of monsoon have been observed (Chand et al 2012) creating additional challenges for agriculture. Furthermore, there is evidence that the region is also experiencing temperature increases (Hazra et al 2010), more frequent extreme climatic events such as cyclones and floods (Singh 2007), rapid sea-level rise (Pethick and Orford 2013), saline water intrusion (Hazra et al 2015), and habitat loss due to high coastal erosion (Ghosh et al 2014).…”

Section: Study Area: Sundarbans Biosphere Reservementioning

confidence: 99%

Economic incentives drive the conversion of agriculture to aquaculture in the Indian Sundarbans: Livelihood and environmental implications of different aquaculture types

Giri

Daw

Hazra

et al. 2022

Ambio

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Expansion of aquaculture in the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve (SBR) is irreversibly replacing agricultural land and the drivers of this change are disputed. Based on in-depth interviews with 67 aquaculture farmers, this paper characterizes major aquaculture types in the SBR, their impacts, and identifies drivers of conversion from agricultural land. Aquaculture types included traditional, improvedtraditional, modified-extensive, and semi-intensive systems. Extensive capture of wild shrimp larvae is environmentally harmful but constitutes an important livelihood. Semi-intensive aquaculture of exotic shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) has much higher unit-area profitability than other types but involves greater financial risk. Profitability is the main driver for the transition from agriculture, but environmental factors such as lowered crop yields and cyclone impacts also contributed. Many conversions from agriculture to aquaculture are illegal according to the stakeholders. Existing legislation, if enforced, could halt the loss of agriculture, while the promotion of improved-traditional aquaculture could reduce the demand for wild seed.

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Island Erosion and Afflicted Population: Crisis and Policies to Handle Climate Change

Cited by 19 publications

References 8 publications

The Indian Sundarban Mangrove Forests: History, Utilization, Conservation Strategies and Local Perception

The Indian Sundarban Mangrove Forests: History, Utilization, Conservation Strategies and Local Perception

Land scarcity and land access in a hazard‐prone island: Sagar, Indian Sundarbans

Economic incentives drive the conversion of agriculture to aquaculture in the Indian Sundarbans: Livelihood and environmental implications of different aquaculture types

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