Himalayan Climate Risk & Adaptation
Himalayan Climate Risk & Adaptation
This 13-day field seminar examines climate vulnerability in the Himalayan region, where glacial retreat, erratic monsoons, landslides, hydropower expansion, and tourism pressures reshape livelihoods and governance systems.
Students begin in Delhi with conceptual grounding in mountain political ecology, disaster risk reduction frameworks (including the Sendai Framework), and exposure–sensitivity–adaptive capacity models. Workshops focus on research ethics, participatory mapping, and stakeholder analysis.
In Uttarakhand, students conduct water security mapping, landslide risk assessment, livelihood interviews, and infrastructure governance analysis. Dialogue with community leaders, researchers, and practitioners illuminates how institutions mediate adaptation choices.
The program culminates in a Mountain Climate Adaptation Memo grounded in ecological realities and institutional feasibility.
Students will:
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Apply mountain vulnerability frameworks to analyze climate exposure.
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Map spring-fed water systems and community water governance structures.
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Conduct stakeholder interviews on disaster preparedness and adaptation.
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Analyze hydropower development and infrastructure trade-offs.
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Evaluate institutional response capacity in high-risk geographies.
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Develop an evidence-based adaptation memo integrating justice considerations.
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Environmental Studies
Geography
Public Policy
Development Studies
Disaster Studies
Political Ecology
Public Health
