Human Vulnerability in the Changing Environment of the Active Delta Region of India: Impacts in the Indian Sunderbans

Sunderbans lying in the active delta region of Lower Ganga plains is one of the most biologically protective and taxonomically diverse ecosystems of the Indian subcontinent. The objectives of the present study are the assessment of the flora and fauna of this region and the effects on climate change. A special emphasis has been given to study the humans of this region comprising mostly tribal population who have been hitherto understudied. An attempt has been made to study the various environmental problems related to changing climatic conditions in the region and the level of vulnerability of the population living here to these vagaries. Census data including Houselisting data were used to calculate Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) for community development blocks. A vulnerability map of the Sunderban region was created based on LVI data. A total of 6 out of 19 blocks show extreme vulnerability and require special attention from the government and policy makers to mitigate the risks and relocate them to safer lands.