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The document examines the disconnect between India's national and state-level disaster and climate policies, which often operate in silos. Through research in Barmer and Leh, it highlights how climate change is increasing the frequency of flash floods and 'invisible disasters'—small-scale events that go unreported. The briefing argues that local multi-stakeholder platforms, community-led knowledge sharing (such as 'weather schools' and radio programmes), and the use of post-disaster 'windows of opportunity' can help harmonise DRR and adaptation efforts and influence national policy.

The document details CDKN's efforts in India to integrate disaster risk reduction (DRR) with climate change adaptation (CCA), specifically through technical assistance to state governments and research on gender-responsive policies and resilient construction.

The report investigates how local multi-stakeholder platforms can catalyze the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) in India. Focusing on the arid regions of Leh and Barmer, the project utilized household surveys, resource mapping, and the installation of an Automatic Weather Station to identify climate-induced risks and policy gaps. Key findings indicate that while local communities perceive clear trends in rising temperatures and erratic precipitation, government policies remain fragmented and compartmentalized. The project successfully implemented community-led initiatives, such as a radio program in Barmer and a climate school in Leh, to amplify local voices and provide scientific weather data for agricultural adaptation. The report concludes that the district level is the most optimal point for the convergence of DRR and CCA to drive upward policy transformation.