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Climate change poses significant challenges to Indian agriculture, impacting crop yields, water availability, and overall food security. To address these challenges, a combination of adaptation and mitigation strategies is crucial. Adaptation measures involve adjusting agricultural practices to changing climate conditions, such as altering planting schedules, implementing water-saving techniques, and promoting resilient crop varieties. Mitigation strategies focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural activities, like adopting sustainable farming practices and enhancing carbon sequestration in soils. In India, the integration of adaptation and mitigation efforts is essential to enhance the resilience of farmers and agricultural systems to climate change impacts while contributing to global climate goals. By combining traditional knowledge with modern scientific approaches, Indian agriculture can navigate the complexities of climate change, ensuring sustainable food production and livelihood security for millions of farmers across the country. A concerted effort involving policymakers, researchers, extension workers, and farming communities is vital to bolster the resilience of Indian agriculture while contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts. Effective extension services are paramount for educating farmers and ensuring widespread adoption of these strategies. By prioritizing both adaptation and mitigation, Indian agriculture can navigate the challenges of climate change and ensure long-term food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-scale sector fisheries associated with tropical wetland were found to be highly vulnerable to various socio-economic, ecological and climatic factors. The present study conducted in Vembanad lake in India attempted to identify and assess vulnerabilities of wetland fishers to climate variability at spatial scale. One hundred and eighty fishers distributed across three villages (Vaikkom, Muhamma and Thycattussery) who were representative of marine, freshwater and brackish water fishers, respectively, were surveyed based on a structured schedule prepared by National Innovations for Climate Resilient Agriculture and ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute. Potential indicators of vulnerability as perceived from survey were segregated under seven drivers such as health, livelihood, social, food, ecological, resource and resource user. These indicators which were represented by attributes were scored, based on fishers' perception, and were used for identifying the highly contributing drivers of vulnerabilities. Kruskal–Wallis parametric test was used for analyzing the vulnerabilities statistically. The overall wetland vulnerability indices derived from various villages indicated that Thycattussery was highly vulnerable compared to Muhamma and Vaikkom. A transactional analysis across each sampling station indicated that in Vaikkom, fishers were less vulnerable to resource, food security and resource user vulnerabilities in a climate changing context. Poor status of livelihood, social and food related insecurities and resource user-based uncertainties were the factors attributing to fishers' vulnerability in Thycattussery. The fishers of Muhamma experienced greater ecological and resource-based vulnerabilities. The study suggested that a bottom-up approach involving the primary stakeholders (fishers) along with the community will adequately position them to climate change adaptation and mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a global concern of the current century. Its rapid escalation and ever-increasing intensity have been felt worldwide, leading to dramatic impacts globally. The aftermath of climate change in India has brought about a profound transformation in India's environmental, socio-economic, and urban landscapes. In 2019, India ranked seventh, among the most affected countries by extreme weather events caused due to changing climate. This impact was evident in terms of both, the human toll with 2,267 lives lost, and the economic damage, which accounted for 66,182 million US$ Purchasing power parities (PPPs). Over the recent years, India has experienced a significant increase in the number and frequency of extreme weather events, causing vulnerable communities. The country experienced severe air pollution problems in several metropolitan cities and was highlighted in the list of the world's most polluted cities. Additionally, India has become the most populous nation globally, boasting a population of 1.4 billion people, equating to ~18% of the global population, and experiencing an increased rate of consumption of natural resources. Owing to the country's current scenario, various climate mitigation strategies, including nature-based solutions, must be implemented to reduce such impacts and support India's target of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This review tries to have a holistic understanding of the effects of climate change on different sectors to identify India's challenges in achieving SDG 13 and SDG 11. Finally, it also highlighted the future recommendations for climate change-related research from an Indian perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the Dudhganga watershed is the primary water and food resource of the Kashmir Valley, it has undergone significant changes in food resources and strategies due to rampant urbanization in the area over the past 20 years. This urbanization has had a profound impact on the watershed and has also affected land use and land cover (LULC) patterns and environmental changes. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of urban development on food security parameters in the Dudhganga watershed area, India, from 2000 to 2020, by evaluating LULC changes. Additionally, the study aims to examine the relationship between climate changes and LULC indices, such as the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI). The results indicate a 21.66% increase in barren areas, at the expense of snow-covered lands, during the 2000–2020 period. The primary land cover transition observed is towards barren areas. The predictions for LULC in 2030 highlight the need for careful management of land use and climate changes in the study area. This study can assist local government officials in reassessing food strategies by identifying areas where urban expansion should be controlled and climate impacts minimized, to prevent local hunger and ecological degradation. Therefore, the development of systematic urban planning approaches and mitigation of climate change sources are crucial. Furthermore, the adoption of advanced agricultural technology should be considered to mitigate the impact of urban expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate action plans are essential for climate mitigation and adaptation as well as to achieve climate and development goals like the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the development and implementation of climate action plans at multiple levels involve decision-making processes. In this article, we examine the barriers and opportunities to decision-making in climate action plans for adaptation at three different governance levels in India: national, sub-national and local. Through a literature review and analysis of case studies, we find that lack of usable climate information, institutional weaknesses and capacity of actors are critical barriers to decision-making at all three levels in India. We recommend that providing usable and accessible climate information, creating evidence and knowledge on adaptation, strengthening the science-policy interface and institutional mechanisms, as well as building the capacities of actors can contribute to better decision-making and achieving targeted climate action plans and SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil carbon pools have a significant impact on the global carbon cycle and soil erosion caused by natural or human activities is one of the main drivers of changes in soil carbon sequestration. The present study aimed to estimate the carbon loss associated with soil loss in the watershed using remote sensing and GIS techniques. The study was carried out at the Central MPKV Campus Watershed, Rahuri, located in the rain shadow region of the Maharashtra state, India. The soil loss from the watershed was estimated using USLE model. The soil loss and carbon loss from the watershed were estimated before the implementation of conservation measures and after the implementation of conservation measures. It was found that the average annual soil loss from the watershed before and after conservation measures was 18.68 t/ha/yr and 9.41 t/ha/yr, respectively. Carbon loss was determined by soil loss rate, organic carbon content and the carbon enrichment ratio. The carbon loss from the watershed before and after conservation measures was 348.71 kgC/ha/yr and 205.52 kgC/ha/yr. The findings revealed that soil and carbon erosion was very severe on steep slopes without conservation measures and with limited vegetation cover. It was found that by reducing the carbon loss associated with soil loss, soil conservation measures not only aid in the conservation of natural resources but also serve as a climate change mitigation measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combating climate change may be the greatest public health opportunity of the 21st century. While physicians play an important role in addressing climate change, given their affluence in society, they may be an important source of greenhouse gas emissions themselves. We sought to examine the size and nature of the ecological footprint of physicians and medical students. We conducted an online survey from December 2021-May 2022 examining resource consumption, changes in consumption patterns over time, and beliefs about climate change. Participants were medical students, residents, and staff physicians in Canada, India, or USA. Only 20 out of 162 valid respondents had a low ecological footprint (12%), defined as meat intake ≤2 times per week, living in an apartment or condominium, and using public transport, bicycle, motorcycle or walking to work. 14 of these 20 participants were from India. 91% of participants were open to reducing their own ecological footprint, though only 40% had made changes in that regard. 49% participants who discussed climate change at work and at home had decreased their ecological footprint, compared to 29% of participants who rarely engaged in such conversations (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.24–4.63, P = 0.01). We conclude that physicians have a large ecological footprint, especially those from Canada and USA. A majority of physicians are interested in reducing their ecological footprint, and those who engage in conversations around climate change are more likely to have done so. Talking frequently about climate change, at work and at home, will likely increase climate change action amongst physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The foremost role of forest vegetation in storing biomass and carbon (C) stock constitutes one of the main nature-based solutions to mitigate climate change. In this study, we aimed to quantify biomass and C stock partitioning in multiple vegetation strata (tree, shrub, herb, and ground floor layers) of major forest types in Jammu and Kashmir, Western Himalaya, India. We used a stratified random cluster sampling strategy to collect field data in 96 forest stands of 12 forest types (altitudinal range: 350 to 3450 m) in the study region. We evaluated the degree to which the carbon stock of the entire ecosystem was dependent on the multiple vegetation strata using the Pearson method. Across all the forest types, the average total ecosystem-level biomass was estimated to be 181.95 Mgha−1 (range: 60.64–528.98). Forest strata-wise, the maximum biomass of 172.92 Mgha−1 (range: 50.64-514.97) was found in the tree vegetation, followed by 5.58 Mgha−1 (range: 2.59–8.93) in understory vegetation (shrubs and herbaceous), and 3.44 Mgha−1 (range: 0.97 and 9.14) in the forest floor. The total ecosystem-level biomass showed a peak at mid-elevation coniferous forest types, whereas the lowest was observed in low-elevation broad leaved forest types. At the ecosystem-level, on average, the understory contributed 3% and the forest floor 2% to the total C stock across the forest types. The shrub layer contributed up to 80% of total understory C, with the herbaceous layer accounting for the remaining 20%. The ordination analysis clearly shows that anthropogenic and environmental variables significantly (p ≤ 0.002) influence the forest types' C stock in the region. Our findings have significant implications for conserving natural forest ecosystems and restoring degraded forest landscapes in this Himalayan region, which in turn can lead to better carbon sequestration and climate mitigation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is frequently portrayed as the fourth largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter globally, based on the current annual emissions of sovereign nation-states. Through a comprehensive review and assessment, this article argues that other metrics of country-wise emissions provide a more holistic and unbiased view. The article argues that ranking per se by any metric is of minor value unless also placed along the actual quantities. India's cumulative emissions (excluding LULUCF, 1850-2019) amount to only 4.31% of the global total, well behind the three leading emitters, the United States (22.46%), the European Union (16.06%) and China (13.45%). Therefore, in terms of annual emissions, the story of India as the fourth largest emitter is very mistaken, as the gap between us and the third is substantial. The article argues that national emissions must be judged by equity in mitigation and in the light of climate action being undertaken. On both grounds, India, relative to its responsibility and what equity demands, is doing far more than her fair share. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrological reaction to climate change anticipates water cycle alterations. To ensure long-term water availability and accessibility, it is essential to develop sustainable water management strategies and better hydrological models that can simulate peak flow. These efforts will aid in water resource planning, management, and climate change mitigation. This study develops and compares Sacramento, Australian Water Balance Model (AWBM), TANK, and SIMHYD conceptual models to simulate daily streamflow at Rajegaon station of the Pranhita subbasin in the Godavari basin of India. The study uses daily Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) gridded rainfall and temperature datasets. For 1987–2019, 70% of the models were calibrated and 30% validated. Pearson correlation (CC), Nash Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Root mean square error (RMSE), and coefficient of determination (CD) between the observed and simulated streamflow to evaluate model efficacy. The best conceptual (Sacramento) model selected to forecast future streamflow for the SSP126, SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585 scenarios for the near (2021–2040), middle (2041–2070), and far future (2071–2100) using EC-Earth3 data was resampled and bias-corrected using distribution mapping. In the far future, the SSP585 scenario had the most significant relative rainfall change (55.02%) and absolute rise in the annual mean temperature (3.29 °C). In the middle and far future, the 95th percentile of monthly streamflow in the wettest July is anticipated to rise 40.09% to 127.06% and 73.90% to 215.13%. SSP370 and SSP585 scenarios predicted the largest streamflow increases in all three time periods. In the near, middle, and far future, the SSP585 scenario projects yearly relative streamflow changes of 72.49%, 93.80%, and 150.76%. Overall, the findings emphasize the importance of considering the potential impacts of future scenarios on water resources to develop effective and sustainable water management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse consequences of climate change often affect people and places far away from those that have the greatest capacity for mitigation. Several correlational and some experimental studies suggest that the willingness to take mitigation actions may diminish with increasing distance. However, the empirical findings are ambiguous. In order to investigate if and how socio-spatial distance to climate change effects plays a role for the willingness to engage in mitigation actions, we conducted an online experiment with a German population sample (n = 383). We find that the willingness to sign a petition for climate protection was significantly reduced when a person in India with a name of Indian origin was affected by flooding, as compared to a person in Germany with a name of German origin. Distance did not affect donating money to climate protection or approving of mitigation policies. Our results provide evidence for the existence of a negative effect of distance to climate change consequences on the willingness to engage in low-cost mitigation actions. Investigating explanations for such an effect, we find that it can be attributed to the spatial rather than the social dimension of distance. Moreover, we find some cautious evidence that people with strong racist attitudes react differently to the distance manipulations, suggesting a form of environmental racism that could also reduce mitigation action in the case of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the start of multilateral climate negotiations, India and the US have been on opposite sides of the aisle on the issue of responsibility for climate action. Following years of intense scrutiny, India found points of convergence with the US and worked closely with the Obama administration to help secure a global deal at the 2015 Paris Climate Conference. The Trump era, however, marked a period of stark divergence between India and the US on the issue of climate change. The US' climate inaction at the multilateral level under the Trump administration was met with India's proactive global leadership in the fight against climate change. At the same time, the bilateral relationship saw greater convergence on the issue of energy trade, particularly conventional sources of energy such as coal, oil and gas. This essay analyzes India-US climate relations during the Trump years and argues that the personal views of the political leadership and domestic interest groups affected the nature of this relationship, which is best described as divergence on climate change but convergence on energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change, land degradation, and desertification lead to the loss of carbon present in the soil and plants. The carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere has reached 412 ppm. This is a rise of 47% since the start of the industrial period, when the concentration was close to 280 ppm. Therefore, the sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere to earth is the need of the hour. Many scientists have suggested agroforestry as a potent instrument for climate change mitigation as well as to fetch lucrative benefits. The Indian government is also promulgating tree-based systems for increasing tree cover up to 33% of the total geographical area to mitigate climate change. Therefore, the expansion of the commercial agroforestry system of fast-growing tree species producing higher biomass could be a sustainable and ecologically benign technique to sequester carbon, increase green cover, and improve the financial status of farmers. This review highlights the commercial agroforestry systems, biomass and carbon sequestration potential, and case studies of poplar and eucalyptus. The species such as poplar (Populus deltoides), nilgiri (Eucalyptus spp.), subabul (Leucaena leucocephala), tree of heaven (Ailanthus excelsa), willow (Salix spp.), malabar neem (Melia dubia), cadamba (Neolamarckia cadamba), and white teak (Gmelina arborea) are the suitable tree species for carbon sequestration under agroforestry. Among these species, poplar and eucalyptus are major agroforestry tree species that have been adopted by millions of farmers in India since the 1990s. Indo-Gangetic plains are considered the birthplace of commercial or industrial agroforestry, as poplar and eucalyptus are widely planted. This review reports that poplar and eucalyptus have the potential to sequester carbon stock of 212.7 Mg C ha−1 and 237.2 Mg C ha−1, respectively. Further, the net carbon sequestration rate in poplar and eucalyptus was 10.3 and 12.7 Mg C ha−1 yr−1, respectively. In conclusion, the commercial agroforestry system was very successful in the Indo-Gangetic regions of the country but needs further expansion with suitable compatible crops in different parts of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical inland capture fisheries are susceptible to a series of vulnerabilities such as habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, pollution, overfishing, invasive species and anthropogenic climate change. A comprehensive review of the impact of climatic uncertainties on Indian inland fisheries has not been adequately attempted yet. Recent approaches emphasizing ecosystem-based management in a regional context, specific to inland fisheries for combating climatic changes, have not been reported to date. The paper presents a critical bibliometric review of the climatic vulnerabilities faced by Indian inland fishery resources and various adaptive and mitigation strategies put forward by the country for the sustainability of the resources. In this communication, a systematic review of the impact of climate change and other stressors on various inland ecosystems of the subcontinent and the ecosystem-based management strategies adopted in India is presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) have significant influence on the global economic and environmental trajectories. They have carbon intensive economic systems, which contribute significantly to total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, leading to climate change. However, BRICS have joined the race to net-zero emissions by 2050 in the quest for a climate neutral and sustainable global economy. The journey, however, is not without challenges and opportunities. The proliferation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had mixed reactions from scientists regarding its implications on net-zero trajectories. While statistical data show a correlation between COVID-19 and a decrease in total emissions, it is envisaged that COVID-19 compromised the efforts to develop carbon neutral economies. Hence, there is still need for more scientific examination of COVID-19's impact on net-zero ambitions, especially in the emerging economies. This study focuses on India and South Africa's trajectories. Statistical analysis of secondary data from authentic interactive web-based dashboards for COVID-19 data repositories, namely Our World in Data and Climate Action Tracker was performed in conjunction with the document analysis approach following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. Some of the COVID-19 challenges as indicated by the results of the study include curtailing the technology transfer staircase in the energy sector, retaliatory emissions for recovery and resource diversion. The opportunities presented by COVID-19 in the quest for carbon neutrality include behavioural changes in investment, production and consumption patterns with a focus on low carbon options. Governments and stakeholders need to focus on addressing the barriers whilst riding on the opportunities presented by the pandemic to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As calls for climate action gain momentum, governments and international organisations are committing to ambitious climate targets and scaling up their climate action. In this article, we argue that to address climate change, 'just' climate action is required which moves away from portraying local communities as 'victims' and/or 'beneficiaries' and focuses on investing in their social and material capabilities so that they determine their futures and pathways of change. Climate action will have little meaning or will produce counterproductive results unless it is mobilised to question deep-seated inequalities and unjust framings that feed into epistemic closures and foreclose possibilities of plural pathways towards radical social change. Drawing on our research with front-line communities in India, we emphasise the importance of processual aspects of addressing climate (in)justice. We underline why climate action must be steered from 'below' for transformative change, and why this requires attention to more 'vernacular' forms of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensity and extent of climate change impacts differ significantly with the geographical and ecological structure of the landscape. This is especially evident in mountain ecosystems where topographic, climatic and biological gradients make them extremely vulnerable to global environmental changes. Designing strategies to mitigate and adapt to global climate change on such local landscapes requires a context-specific vulnerabilities that take into account their particular characteristics. Presently, there are two main challenges in assessing climate change vulnerability in mountain ecosystems: 1) The models that are used for vulnerability assessments at global scales are being used at local scales with broad variables from few sectors that do not capture the range of characteristics of mountain ecosystems 2) indigenous knowledge about climate change are not considered in these models, which makes the implementation of mitigation/adaptation measures less successful. In this study, we highlight these issues drawing from our data collected in India's Lesser Himalayan region (Darjeeling). We used a mixed research approach that combines a vulnerability assessment model with a participatory knowledge approach. We based climate change vulnerability around the socio-ecological system of the mountain landscape. The results from the interactive process showed that Darjeeling region is experiencing higher climate change vulnerability than the results produced by the model at the subregional level. We highlight critical variables that influence the socio-ecological system and need to be taken into account when assessing vulnerability and future adaptation scenarios. The study offers a decision support process for policymakers to plan climate mitigation/adaptation measures and future sustainability pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the challenges posed by climate change, particularly the rise in global average temperature and its implications, highlighting the need for intensified adaptation and mitigation efforts globally. It also emphasizes the significance of understanding the vulnerability scenario in the Indian Himalayan region and the initiatives taken under the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem to assess ecosystem health and formulate sustainable development strategies.

This study traces the development of watersheds in India based on the governing guidelines of the watershed programmes. We explore the changes and modifications in the watershed guidelines and categorize the developmental changes into six distinct yet interlinked phases. We observed that the watershed guidelines were fine-tuned with emerging challenges of land degradation, livelihood security, gender and social equity, climate change mitigation and adaptations. Recently, the focus of watersheds has shifted from production centric to income-centric by promoting enabling institutional settings. The experiences and learnings from India’s watershed programmes provide insights for other developing countries implementing such programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Climate change is the biggest global health threat and also the greatest health opportunity of the 21st century. Five warmest years among the last 140 years occurred between 2015 and 2019. Limited information is available regarding the knowledge and practices of medical students towards climate change, especially in India. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in two medical colleges of Karimnagar city from January 2021 to July 2021 involving MBBS and Post-graduate students as study participants. Methods and Material: 903 undergraduate and post-graduate medical students who consented for the study were included. A pre-structured questionnaire was used. Statistical Analysis Used: Data is presented in frequencies and proportions with 95% confidence interval and Chi-square test is used as test of significance. Results: Poor knowledge regarding Sustainable Developmental Goal for climate action, Organisations dealing climate change and Government actions towards climate change were observed among study participants. Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases (84%) were answered as the major health impacts of climate change. Majority (97.4%) of the participants agreed that 'human actions are also the cause for global warming'. Environment-friendly practices were observed significantly high among participants with adequate knowledge. Major (72%) source of learning about climate change was via internet. Conclusions: Our study found that major proportion of participants doesn't have environment-friendly practices. However, the participants with adequate knowledge about climate change were observed to have more eco-friendly practices compared to participants with inadequate knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has elucidated that the uninterrupted emission of greenhouse gases has resulted in climate change posing the biggest existential threat to humanity. India, which stretches from the Himalayas to the fertile plains of Ganges to the long west and east coast, is experiencing an array of climate change impacts. India's vulnerability is closely tied to the region's geography, economy, and population patterns. Considering the colossal population, vulnerability, and gross GHG emission, the success of climate action in India will be a major contributory factor in the global response to climate change. India has played a proactive and prominent role in elucidating the position of developing nations in climate negotiation but has not enacted climate-specific legislation. As a consequence, the climate responses have been a continuum of policy actions, drawing on various provisions of the Indian Constitution, and existing environmental legislative provisions drawing on the various international environmental instruments to which India is a signatory. Forest management is a sector closely linked with climate change in terms of impacts and addressing climate change in India. The Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets of India envisaged under the Paris Agreement reveal the weightage attached to forests in the climate change response. This paper attempts to capture the legislative framework governing climate change in India, focusing on the general environment protection laws and forest management. It also explores whether the legal framework operating in the forest sector is adequate to address the climate concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The urban water system is the worst hit in global climate change. Water resilience is the system's ability to retaliate and recover from various water-related disruptions. The present study aims to delineate the water resilience zones in Chennai city, Tamil Nadu, India, by effectively integrating the geographic information system, remote sensing, and analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Methods: The methodology incorporated 15 vital factors. A multi-criteria decision analysis technique was adopted to assign a weight to each parameter using the AHP. A pairwise decision matrix was constructed, parameter's relative importance and the consistency ratio were established. Integration of all maps by weighted overlay analysis technique depicted water resilience intensities of five different classes. Results: Very low, low and moderate water resilience areas accounted for more than three-fourth of the study area. Area Under Curve score (80.12%) depicted the accuracy of the developed model. Sensitivity analysis determined the significance of the parameters in the delineation. The logical structural approach can be employed in other parts of India or elsewhere with modifications. Conclusion: This study is novel in its approach by holistically analyzing water resilience by integrating disruptions related to flood, drought and the city's water infrastructure system's adequacy and efficiency. Researchers and planners can effectively use the study results to ensure resilience as a new perspective on effective water resource management and climate change mitigation. It becomes a decision aid mechanism identifying where the system is vulnerable to potential water-related risks for employing resilience measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop residue burning is a common practice in many parts of the world that causes air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Regenerative practices that return residues to the soil offer a 'no burn' pathway for addressing air pollution while building soil organic carbon (SOC). Nevertheless, GHG emissions in rice-based agricultural systems are complex and difficult to anticipate, particularly in production contexts with highly variable hydrologic conditions. Here we predict long-term net GHG fluxes for four rice residue management strategies in the context of rice-wheat cropping systems in Eastern India: burning, soil incorporation, livestock fodder, and biochar. Estimations were based on a combination of Tier 1, 2, and 3 modelling approaches, including 100-year DNDC simulations across three representative soil hydrologic categories (i.e., dry, median, and wet). Overall, residue burning resulted in total direct GHG fluxes of 2.5, 6.1, and 8.7 Mg CO 2 -e in the dry, median, and wet hydrologic categories, respectively. Relative to emissions from burning (positive values indicate an increase) for the same dry to wet hydrologic categories, soil incorporation resulted in a −0.2, 1.8, or 3.1 Mg CO 2 -e change in emissions whereas use of residues for livestock fodder increased emissions by 2.0, 2.1, or 2.3 Mg CO 2 -e. Biochar reduced emissions relative to burning by 2.9 Mg CO 2 -e in all hydrologic categories. This study showed that the production environment has a controlling effect on methane and, therefore, net GHG balance. For example, wetter sites had 2.8–4.0 times greater CH 4 emissions, on average, than dry sites when rice residues were returned to the soil. To effectively mitigate burning without undermining climate change mitigation goals, our results suggest that geographically-target approaches should be used in the rice-based systems of Eastern India to incentivize the adoption of regenerative 'no burn' residue management practices. • Efforts to build SOC for climate change mitigation, while simultaneously avoiding burning, may have unintended consequences. • Tier 1, 2, and 3 modelling approaches were used to compare no-burn rice residue pathways. • Field hydrology had a dominant effect on methane emissions. • Soil incorporation of residues increased emissions relative to open burning, except in comparatively dry fields. • Biochar is estimated to have the lowest GHG emissions of the evaluated 'no burn' alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transitioning to a net-zero world is one of the greatest challenges humanity may face across the world. Nonetheless, land-based carbon removal actions are vital to meet net-zero targets but involve significant trade-offs that may risk food security. The potential increase in demand for land in the near future for land-based climate mitigation methods across India could certainly threaten the right to land and food, especially for people and communities whose livelihoods depend on land. In the context of global efforts to address and combat the climate crisis and to improve food security, agroforestry is a sustainable land use with immense potential to achieve significant impact and synergy across priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study estimated the total ecosystem carbon stock (TECS) and sediment carbon sequestration rate through burial for fragmented mangrove habitats of Kochi, south-west coast of India. The mean TECS of Kochi mangroves was estimated at 335.33 ± 184.47 t C ha−1, with above ground biomass of 171.68 ± 104.42 t C ha−1, belowground biomass of 83.30 ± 41.98 t C ha−1, litterfall carbon as dead biomass of 7.12 ± 2.81 t C ha−1 and soil carbon stock of 73.22 ± 39.40 t C ha−1. The average historical soil carbon sequestration rate of Kochi mangroves was also estimated as 2.95 t C ha−1 yr−1. The study revealed that there was significant variability in TECS and sediment carbon burial rate among riverine, estuarine and marine mangrove habitats and it appears that, the biological factors especially mangrove plant structure, species, age, litterfall production, crab density, mangrove conversion to aquaculture ponds and other urban pressure played major roles in driving the variability in carbon stocks and storage. While the sediment particle size, bulk density and the environmental settings played a secondary role. Very low TECS and soil carbon sequestration rate was found in aquaculture converted mangrove habitat. The CO 2e of ecosystem carbon stock (496311.20 t CO 2 e) and soil CO 2 burial (10.62 t CO 2 e ha−1 yr−1 respectively) of mangroves of Kochi, revealed that even with high urban pressure and anthropogenic activities which resulted in fragmented distribution, they are still potent in long term carbon sequestration unless it is not further disturbed. Therefore, conservation and restoration of mangrove habitats based on understanding of the regional controlling factors of carbon stock and carbon burial is a need for scientific climate change mitigation efforts. The study will also contribute to fill the gaps in global mangrove carbon stock assessments for avoiding uncertainties. [Display omitted] • High total ecosystem carbon stock and sequestration in the mangrove ecosystem. • Observed significant variability in carbon stock and burial. • Major controls include biological factors and geomorphological differentiation. • Aquaculture has an impact on carbon stock and sequestration. • Mangrove destruction negatively impacts coastal economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the framework for evaluating India's net zero commitments.

The Himalayan ecosystem is critical for ecological security and environmental sustainability. However, continuous deforestation is posing a serious threat to Himalayan sustainability. Changing land-use systems exert a tenacious impact on soil carbon (C) dynamics and regulate C emissions from Himalayan ecosystem. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the changes in different C pools and associated soil properties under diverse land-use systems, viz. natural forest, natural grassland, maize field converted from the forest, plantation, and paddy field of temperate Himalaya in the surface (0–20 cm) and subsurface (20–40 cm) soils. The highest total organic carbon (24.24 g kg−1) and Walkley-black carbon contents (18.23 g kg−1), total organic carbon (45.88 Mg ha−1), and Walkley-black carbon stocks (34.50 Mg ha−1) were recorded in natural forest in surface soil (0–20 cm depth), while soil under paddy field had least total organic carbon (36.45 Mg ha−1) and Walkley-black carbon stocks (27.40 Mg ha−1) in surface soil (0–20 cm depth). The conversion of natural forest into paddy land results in 47.36% C losses. Among the cultivated land-use system, minimum C losses (29.0%) from different pools over natural forest system were reported under maize-filed converted from forest system. Land conversion causes more C losses (21.0%) in surface soil (0–20 cm depth) as compared to subsurface soil. Furthermore, conversion of forest land into paddy fields increased soil pH by 5.9% and reduced total nitrogen contents and microbial population by 28.0% and 7.0%, respectively. However, the intensity of total nitrogen and microbial population reduction was the lowest under maize fields converted from the forest system. The study suggested that the conversion of natural forest to agricultural land must be discouraged in the temperate Himalayan region. However, to feed the growing population, converted forest land can be brought under conservation effective maize-based systems to reduce C loss from the intensive land use and contribute to soil quality improvements and climate change mitigation. [Display omitted] • Five Land uses were assessed for TOC and WBC dynamics. • Natural forests had the highest TOC and WBC stocks in soil profile (0–40 cm). • Conversation of forest land to crop land accelerates the soil C losses. • The lowest soil C losses was observed in conservation effective maize based system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean energy transition via utilizing biomass resources has been projected as an important climate change mitigation strategy. A vital characteristic of biomass is its localized nature; therefore, bioenergy utilization should follow decentralized planning. Agrarian countries like India can take benefit of its large agricultural biomass waste pool to produce clean renewable energy. However, prior knowledge of spatio-temporal distribution, competing uses, and biomass characteristics are necessary for successful bioenergy planning. This paper assesses biomass resource and its power generation potential at different agro-climatic zone levels in the state of Rajasthan, India considering crop residue biomass (25 different crop residues from 14 crops) and livestock manure (from cattle, buffalo, and poultry). Uncertainties associated with the availability of biomass and the power generation potential are assessed for each agro-climatic zone under different scenarios. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions from biomass-based power generations are also estimated and compared with biomass-equivalent coal power plants. It is observed that the annual biomass power potential of Rajasthan is 3056 MW (2496 MW from crop residues and 560 MW from livestock manure). Scenario analysis suggests that the potential varies from 2445 to 6045 MW under different biomass availability and power plant operating conditions. Annual GHGs emissions due to biomass power generation is 5053 kt CO 2 eq. Replacing coal-based power with biomass power would result in annual GHGs savings of 11412 kt CO 2 eq. The paper also discusses various carriers and barriers viz. logistics, institutional, financial and technical in setting up decentralized bioenergy plants. Outcomes of the present study are expected to assist renewable energy planners in India. • Biomass resources and their power potential are assessed for Rajasthan, India. •Biomass power potential for different selected scenario ranges from 2445-6045 MW. •GHG emissions from biomass power is assessed and compared with fossil fuels. •Spatio-temporal variability, low density and logistics are limitations of biomass. •Favourable policies, technologies and market can help to promote bioenergy sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]