Assessing the vulnerability of agriculture systems to climate change in coastal areas: A novel index

This study proposes a novel index to evaluate agricultural vulnerability to climate change in coastal areas, using the case of Andhra Pradesh, the state with the second longest coastline in India. Field data was collected from more than 1000 farmers (involved in over 50 varieties of crops) in 22 riverine and coastal case study areas. Data was collected through site visits, surveys and five workshops conducted between November 2018 and June 2019. Based on the collected data sets, a new Agricultural Coastal Vulnerability Index (AGCVI) was developed and applied to the 22 sites located in two districts (Krishna and Guntur) of Coastal Andhra Pradesh. The analysis revealed that the areas with three crop seasons (Kharif, Rabi and Zaid) per year are highly vulnerable to climate change. On the other hand, sites with one crop season (Kharif) per annum are the least vulnerable to climate change. Moreover, grains (particularly rice), flowers and fruit crops are more susceptible to climate change and its induced impacts. Rice is no longer a profitable crop in the case study areas partly as a result of unfavourable weather conditions, inadequate insurance provision and lack of government support for farmers. Cumulatively, all these circumstances impact farmers’ incomes and socio-cultural practices: this is leading to a marriage crisis, with a reduction in the desirability of matrimony to farmers. These findings provide valuable information that can support climate and agriculture policies, as well as sustainable cropping patterns among farmers’ communities in coastal areas of India in the future

Spatial justice and the land politics of renewables: dispossessing vulnerable communities through solar energy mega-projects

This paper considers aspects of spatial justice in the processes of land acquisition for large-scale solar energy projects in the developmentalist context of India. It explores the case of one of the world’s largest solar park projects in Charanka, Gujarat. While the official rhetoric suggests an inclusive project for globally benign renewable energy production, the research reveals a more controversial land and power politics of renewable energy. It is argued, in particular, that the project increases the precariousness of vulnerable communities, who are exposed to the loss of livelihoods due to the enclosure of common land and extra-legal mechanisms through which land acquisitions for the project have reportedly taken place. This case exemplifies how solar mega-projects may manifest a regime of accumulation whereby low-carbon coalitions of interests can maximize their gains by dispossessing vulnerable social groups of their life-sustaining assets

Measurement of Multi-Dimensional Poverty in India: A state level analysis

The paper measures the multidimensional poverty index (MPI) in India by considering National Sample Survey (NSS) data on ‘Consumption Expenditure’ for the period of 2004-05 and 2011-12 by using Alkire and Foster’s (2011) methodology and by considering three main indicators i.e., standard of living, education and income at the household or persons level. The results show that multidimensional poverty head count has declined from 62.2 percent in 2004-05 to 38.4 percent in 2011-12. However, rural/ urban separate analysis clearly indicates a sharp decline in rural poverty compared to urban poverty reduction. Lack of education of the household members made the highest contribution to poverty, followed by income and standard of living in India. State level analysis show that Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Arunachal Pradesh, have a higher poverty head count ratio while Kerala, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana have lower poverty rate. Promoting local resource and tourism based industries through urbanization, higher and job oriented education, and long term saving for creating funding are required to reduce poverty in India

Are current UK coastal defences good enough for tomorrow? An assessment of vulnerability to coastal erosion

© 2022 The Authors. Published by Taylor & Francis. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2022.2022971Coastal vulnerability and its physical, economic and social consequences at national and international scales is of high scientific, political and policy interest. Anthropogenic climate change and coastal erosion threaten the very fabric of a society. Indications, that coastal hazards are impacting diverse coastal areas severely across the world, and it is no longer a vague future threat that can’t be ignored. Rising eustatic sea levels synthesized by the growing frequency and scale of coastal hazards like storm surges, coastal erosion and coastal landslides threaten low-lying and unprotected coastal areas in the United Kingdom even if they have coastal defenses. However, there is still significant uncertainty about the degree of vulnerability along different coastal stretches, particularly in England. To fill this uncertainty, the current study estimated the coastal vulnerability of the coastal erosion hotspot Camber, England, by establishing a coastal vulnerability index. This index was developed by compounding various existing parameters and termed as Erosion Coastal Vulnerability Index (ECVI). Results illustrate that 67% of coastal area fall between high and very high vulnerability categories, and current coastal defenses are not strong enough to tackle the severe coastal erosion in Camber. Within the evaluation, thematic maps were generated to enable the intensity of the vulnerability for different coastal stretches to be identified. The evaluated vulnerable hotspot should be treated urgently by regional and national policy organizations to ameliorate the impacts of coastal erosion and other associated risks. Without action, the hotspot is likely to encounter unprecedented new vulnerabilities, disasters and humanitarian catastrophes. The current study results allow for a local, regional and national comparison that may help to evaluate changes in coastal erosion vulnerability.Published versio

Exploring international perspective on factors affecting urban socio-ecological sustainability by green space planning

© 2024 The Authors. Published by MDPI. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914169Urban green space (UGS) is one of the most important components of urban systems to create sustainable cities. This crucial urban element performs many social and ecological functions to facilitate a better quality of life for urban residents. The main aim of this study is to identify the most critical factors contributing to cities’ social and ecological sustainability through UGS planning and development. To achieve this aim, an integrated socio-ecological approach was followed to collect and analyse the data, which comprised context analysis and an international experts survey. Therefore, firstly, the main influencing factors for urban social and ecological sustainability that can be achieved by UGS planning were extracted by reviewing the related literature. In the next step, to find the most critical factors, an online international survey of academicians and experts drawn from a number of countries was conducted. Based on the experts’ opinions, twenty-two factors out of sixty-five, including twelve social factors and ten ecological factors, achieved the highest scores. According to the results, the key factors of accessibility from the social sustainability category and protection from the ecological sustainability category play the most important roles in maximising the social and ecological benefits of UGS.Published versio

Spatiotemporal clustering of suicide attempt in Kermanshah, West-Iran

BackgroundA suicide attempt is a major societal problem because it imposes high costs on societies worldwide. This paper analyses the spatiotemporal clustering of suicide attempt in Kermanshah, Iran from 2006–14.MethodsThis study draws on 18,333 individuals (7,234 males and 11,097 females) who attempted suicide across the Kermanshah province. Data was collected from the records of individuals registered in hospitals across the Kermanshah province between 2006 and 2014. Mean Center, Standard Deviational Ellipse (SDE), Moran’s I and Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) in Arc/GIS10.6 software were used for the analysis of the spatial distribution of suicide attempt, while the chi-squared test in SPSS was used to examine the different demographic variables between groups within/outside spatial clusters of suicide.ResultsThe results show that a total of 18,331 suicide attempts (39.46% male and 60.53% female) were reported between 2006 and 2014 in the Kermanshah province. The spatial pattern of suicide attempts was clustered in 16 clusters (6 high clusters and 10 low clusters) and statistically significant differences were found within and outside the hotspots of suicide attempts. Most hot spots were formed in and around cities. Younger people were at a greater risk. The rate of suicide attempts reduced in illiterate people and increased in people with university degrees. Unmarried people were associated with a higher risk of suicide attempt than was married status for both males and females.ConclusionThe results of this study could help public health practitioners and policymakers in Iran prioritize resources and target efforts for suicide attempt prevention

A systematic review of coastal vulnerability assessment studies along Andhra Pradesh, India: A critical evaluation of data gathering, risk levels and mitigation strategies

The establishment and alteration of any coastal feature is largely dependent upon complex hydrological and geomorphologic processes. Therefore, understanding hazard factors and threat risk level is crucial for mitigating risk in coastal zones. This study examines coastal vulnerability factors and their influence along the Coastal Andhra Pradesh (CAP) region in India. CAP has been exposed to frequent hydrological and meteorological hazards due to variations in the geographical, geological, and bathymetric characteristics. Despite substantial vulnerabilities, the risk to the coastline of Andhra Pradesh has not been rigorously evaluated. The current research systematically reviews the drivers and effects of hazards and vulnerabilities in CAP. Findings indicate that urban cities have a considerably higher risk of cyclones and floods due to their locations on the Bay of Bengal tectonic plate, the topology of this coastal region and higher population density. The study revealed that the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) data along CAP is mostly gathered using low-resolution satellite data and/or field observation surveys. The study further revealed that there are very few existing mitigation strategies developed or discussed within the obtained results. However, more accurate data gathering techniques for coastal vulnerability factors are available such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): Air-borne and LiDAR sensors which provide very high resolution data and low-cost accessibility to physically inaccessible places, making them suitable for vulnerability data collection in coastal locations. These findings are useful for stakeholders seeking to reduce or ameliorate the impact of coastal disasters and their impacts on the CAP economy, environment and population. The study further helps to reduce the existing shortcomings in the assessment techniques used previously