Local approaches to harmonising climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction policies: Lessons from India

This briefing by the Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) discusses the challenges of integrating disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation policies in India, specifically within the arid zones of Barmer and Leh. It highlights the disconnect between national policy and local operational reality, advocating for the use of local knowledge and multi-stakeholder platforms to harmonize these efforts.

• Climate change is altering the scale, frequency, and nature of disasters in India, with the most severe impacts occurring in the country's most arid regions. Additionally, poorly planned urban growth has heightened the risk of flash floods, while 'invisible disasters'—less dramatic events—often go unreported.
• There is a significant lack of coordination between different ministries and departments, which renders disaster and climate change policies inefficient or ineffective at the operational level.
• Effective risk reduction for both long-term climate impacts and immediate disasters can be achieved through local innovation and knowledge. Local multi-stakeholder platforms are essential for converging these policies, provided they establish mechanisms for sustained action.

APA

Sharma, A., Chauhan, S., & Kumar, S. (2014). Local approaches to harmonising climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction policies: Lessons from India. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/resource/harmonising-climate-adaptation-and-disaster-risk-reduction-india

Chicago

Sharma, Anshu, Sahba Chauhan, and Sunny Kumar. Local approaches to harmonising climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction policies: Lessons from India. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2014. https://cdkn.org/resource/harmonising-climate-adaptation-and-disaster-risk-reduction-india.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sharma |first1=Anshu |last2=Chauhan |first2=Sahba |last3=Kumar |first3=Sunny |title=Local approaches to harmonising climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction policies: Lessons from India |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=12 June 2014 |url=https://cdkn.org/resource/harmonising-climate-adaptation-and-disaster-risk-reduction-india |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sharma2014local, author = {Sharma, Anshu and Chauhan, Sahba and Kumar, Sunny}, title = {{Local approaches to harmonising climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction policies: Lessons from India}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2014}, month = jun, url = {https://cdkn.org/resource/harmonising-climate-adaptation-and-disaster-risk-reduction-india}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }