Description
Book SynopsisThis book presents a portrait of the social advantages and limitations of climate change related modeling in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region. Physical systems modeling - such as of climate, weather, water, and soil - can be useful planning tools, and are essential to the forecasts and projections used operationally for decisions on climate and development. However, these models and their limitations are rarely discussed in terms of how they are interpreted, misinterpreted, used, not used, needed and not needed by society at the local level for climate change adaptation. This publication addresses the implied but largely uncritiqued relationships between scientific modeling knowledge and local adaptation responses. It also presents theoretical perspectives on modeling and adaptation, supported by case studies of model use, non-use, interpretation and misinterpretation in the HKH region for application at the local level. It provides a critical angle into the value of modeling at multiple decision making scales in society, but focused on local needs. Case studies are presented from a variety of HKH countries, as defined by ICIMOD (which includes Bangladesh and Myanmar).
Table of ContentsList of Contributors. About the Editors. Brief introduction of the series. Brief introduction of the volume. Preface. Chapter 1 Climate Change Modeling for Local Adaptation in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas. Chapter 2 Climate Change and its Impacts in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas: An Introduction. Chapter 3 Assessing the Hydrological Impacts of Climate Change on the Amu Darya River, Afghanistan. Chapter 4 Technocratic Approaches and Community Contexts: Viewpoints of Those Most at Risk from Environmental Disasters in Mountain Areas, Northern Pakistan. Chapter 5 Does Climate Modeling Help when Studying Adaptation to Environmental Changes? The Case of Ladakh, India. Chapter 6 Tibetan Nomads Facing an Uncertain Future: Impacts of Climate Change on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Chapter 7 Floods, Landslides, and Adapting to Climate Change in Nepal: What Role for Climate Change Models?. Chapter 8 Bhutan: Modeling and Adaptation in the Eastern Himalayas. Chapter 9 Creative Adaptation: Bangladesh's Resilience to Flooding in a Changing Climate. Chapter 10 Myanmar: Assessing Freshwater Vulnerability in the Irrawaddy and Salween River Basins. Chapter 11 Scientific and Social Uncertainties in Climate Change: The Hindu Kush-Himalaya in Regional Perspective. Climate Change Modeling for Local Adaptation in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region. Community, environment and disaster risk Management. Copyright page.
