Pages: 8

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 6

The increasing impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, habitat loss, saltwater intrusion, and shifts in ecological patterns, pose significant challenges to coastal ecosystems and the communities that rely on them. Coastal regions, particularly in the Global South, face greater vulnerability due to ecological sensitivity, socio-economic challenges, inadequate infrastructure, and limited capacity to adapt. These regions often rely heavily on natural ecosystems for their livelihoods, food security, and economic activity, while also facing institutional weaknesses that hinder their ability to address climate risks and impacts effectively. Such coastal regions face a triple exposure to sea level rise, storm surges, and saltwater intrusion, in addition to being vulnerable to disasters such as cyclones, storm surges, and heatwaves. These impacts affect land uses, wetlands, mangrove forests, and other ecosystems, which are direct and visible. However, they indirectly affect livelihoods, specifically fishing, tourism, and many more. Given that over 600 million people reside in low-elevation areas, primarily in the Global South, and that this population is expected to reach one billion by 2050, the issue becomes increasingly severe and concerning (Wong et al., 2022; Kulp & Strauss, 2019).

Pages: 73

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 18

Climate change visibly impacts coastal communities worldwide, posing threats such as extreme natural events and long-term risks such as erosion and sea-level rise. Existing research indicates that women are particularly vulnerable to these effects. However, they are increasingly recognised as pivotal actors of change in environmental management, including climate mitigation and adaptation. Vietnam, one of the countries highly impacted by climate change, has garnered increased attention from international environmental organisations. Its commitment to gender equality mirrors global trends, with gender incorporation being a prominent aspect of environmental research projects. Located in the central region with a small geographical footprint, the coastal city of Da Nang is renowned for its rapid adoption and localisation of strategic national policies, making it a beacon of economic significance and proactive governance. The city, especially the coastal areas, has been suffering from severe climate challenges owing to more frequent and intense natural disasters and coastal erosion episodes. With this background, this research aims to assess the climate vulnerability of coastal communities in Da Nang through gender considerations to examine how women contribute to the vulnerability or resilience of their community and how they are equipped to engage in local climate change adaptation. This study adopted the Livelihood Vulnerability Index approach to estimate the differential impacts of climate change on female- and male-headed households in the locality. Based on the original concept and previous applications, a locally tailored Livelihood Vulnerability Index was designed, followed by a survey of 66 female-and 66 male-headed households in Man Thai Ward of the city to calculate the vulnerability indices. An interesting finding is that female-headed households are less vulnerable, which might be justified by their higher adaptability to income generation and greater proactive engagement with support organisations. However, household vulnerability is generally attributed to a lack of knowledge and training on climate change adaptation and dependence on single-income livelihood strategies. Local policymakers should prioritise these areas to empower households and leverage women’s expertise in building sustainable resilience to climate change impacts.

Pages: 18

This study underscores the urgent need for gender-sensitive disaster risk reduction, highlighting how disasters intensify vulnerabilities for women in rural and marginalized coastal Odisha due to entrenched social inequalities and limited access to resources. Through surveys of 60 women-headed households in Jagatsinghpur, it identifies 18 key vulnerability indicators; reliability testing led to the exclusion of seven, ensuring robust analysis. Statistical tests reveal caste hierarchy as the primary driver of compounded vulnerabilities, particularly among Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes who experience restricted access to disaster relief, healthcare, and safe shelter. Income and education are shown to substantially bolster women’s resilience, with higher levels improving preparedness, recovery, and decision-making capacity. Persistent gender-based violence during disasters further exposes gaps in safety and support. The study spotlights critical shortcomings in institutional frameworks, specifically the lack of gender-sensitive policies and minimal female representation in disaster planning. The findings offer actionable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners: incorporating intersectional approaches and promoting women’s participation will help forge inclusive disaster resilience. Ultimately, the work strengthens the bridge between theoretical discourse and practical intervention for gender-equitable disaster management, advocating for systemic changes that empower women and dismantle barriers to effective resilience strategies.

Pages: 23

Coastal Bangladesh faces severe risk from climate change, particularly impacting the livelihoods of farmers reliant on coastal agriculture. The need to scale up adaptation measures in communities impacted to withstand and recover from natural disasters like cyclones and rising sea levels has grown in recent years. Climate Information Services (CIS) are pivotal tools in this endeavor, helping address these challenges. CIS has been introduced to provide timely weather forecasts, climate advisories, and early warning systems. Despite their implementation, the effectiveness of CIS in reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing climate resilience among coastal farming communities still needs to be explored. The objectives include assessing the utilization patterns of CIS, evaluating their effectiveness in minimizing loss and damage, identifying factors influencing successful utilization, examining the relationship between service utilization and adaptive capacity, and providing recommendations for improvement. Key findings from the case study of Patuakhali district in the southern coastal belt in this chapter reveal significant associations between farmers’ characteristics and their adoption of climate-smart farming techniques. Education, membership in Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), access to the internet or smartphones, and receipt of extension services positively influence CIS utilization. Conversely, smaller landholders and more experienced farmers are more likely to adopt climate-smart practices, while higher income levels usually correlate with greater capacity to invest in CIS. Through regression analysis, this study underscores that formal agricultural training and accessibility of CIS tools are crucial in minimizing agricultural losses, highlights the need for tailored training programs, leveraging local knowledge, and promoting inclusive approaches to bridge knowledge gaps. Moreover, addressing socio-economic disparities, technological barriers, and traditional practices through targeted interventions can significantly improve CIS uptake and foster sustainable agricultural practices. Ultimately, integrating these insights into policy frameworks and community-centered initiatives is crucial for building climate resilience and ensuring the long-term sustainability of livelihoods in Bangladesh’s coastal regions.

Pages: 12

Coastal urban slums are significant elements of the urban fabric that host substantial proportions of the urban population in developing countries. However, slums are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Flooding in India remains the most common hazard impacting the largest number of people, with a large section of the population currently living in areas below the high tide line. Acknowledging the higher vulnerability, limited capacity to absorb and prevent the water-induced risks and absence of adequate formal interventions, slum dwellers survived with local indigenous measures and built elements over the years. For instance, they use shared open spaces for different functions to address the risks of flood hazards. The research investigates the indigenous landscape within the coastal urban slum as a crucial aspect of the urban fabric, with significant socio-environmental importance. The methodology involves observational fieldwork and spatial assessment in different neighbourhoods of Dharavi, including those of fishermen, potters and washermen. Critical review of state-of the-art, collected images from fieldwork document the characteristics and transitions of space in time, offering insights into the perceptions and urban experiences within the slum. Through this approach, the study reveals the built elements that constitute the liveable space, thus contributing to the preservation of its local knowledge to cope with seasonal floods. The analysis proposes the vernacular flood adaptation measures and built elements in the indigenous landscape in the slum as an effective means of addressing floods, often surpassing the inadequacies of formal flood risk reduction strategies.

Pages: 85

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 21

Tourism leads to economic activities, increasing the gross domestic product and improving the community’s social conditions. However, unchecked and unplanned tourism growth harms the environment, infrastructure, and local communities. This necessitates sustainable tourism practices to ensure that tourism development aligns with the preservation of natural resources and built heritage. Coastal and marine tourism represents nearly 30%–40% of global tourism and has grown rapidly, offering major opportunities for economic development and employment. India’s 7500 kilometres of coastline present a vast potential for coastal tourism hotspots. This coastal tourism should balance economic development and ecological conservation by incorporating environmentally responsible practices and supporting local communities. Thus, it is vital to investigate coastal tourism development for sustainable practices, and this can be done by embracing carrying capacity assessment. This study examines Puducherry, India – a coastal city known for its French–Tamil heritage, spiritual ambience, beaches, and backwaters. Puducherry, a fast-growing tourist destination amongst national and international tourist faces challenges in carrying capacity and sustainability. for both domestic and international tourists. Thus, this research assesses Puducherry’s tourism sustainability through the tourism carrying capacity (TCC) under dimensions (i) ecological (atmospheric and infrastructure); (ii) destination (physical and real); and (iii) social (actual facilities and tourist perception). Data is drawn from primary, secondary, and spatial sources. Primary data is gathered through surveys targeting tourists, households, and other stakeholders, as well as destination inventory. Secondary sources include official reports, research papers, and news articles. The TCC is computed for the tourist destinations and cities, utilizing statistical and spatial analysis. Findings reveal imbalances in ecological (atmospheric: 90,666.67 tons/day/person, wastewater 155,000 persons, and solid waste 0 persons) and social (score: 0.486/1) carrying capacities due to inadequate infrastructure provision, and sustainability issues, while the destination carrying capacity (physical 81,084,020 and real 20,27,1005 persons per year) is adequate. The study recommends sustainable tourism initiatives integrating economic growth with the environment and cultural preservation. The proposed framework and recommendations offer a valuable resource for policymakers, local authorities, and stakeholders, offering insights applicable to other coastal cities facing similar challenges.

Pages: 16

Coastal regions face dynamic, transformative changes and increased environmental hazards. Mousuni Island, located in the Indian Sundarbans Delta, in close proximity to the Bay of Bengal, has a high exposure to natural hazards and experiences frequent catastrophic events that severely impact its tourism industry, which is still in its nascent stage. The chapter investigates the disaster-related problems, vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies of communities engaged in the island’s tourism sector. The study utilized in-depth interviews and focus group discussions for data collection, complemented by qualitative data analysis through thematic interpretation. The results reveal that island communities face diverse issues with each different natural hazards. Key problems include cyclone-induced disruption of homesteads and transport networks, tidal surge-related embankment failures, destruction of tourism infrastructure, and land erosion, causing boundary changes and displacement. The island communities have employed structural and non-structural adaptation strategies to address these challenges. Some structural measures include building embankments and relocating inland, while non-structural approaches involve community cohesion, livelihood diversification, and emergency planning. The findings highlight the crucial role of adaptation measures in shifting from vulnerability to resilience in disaster-prone coastal regions.

Pages: 19

This study ethnographically explores the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of Nolia Sahi, a traditional fishing village along the Odisha coast near Konark. Situated in a disaster-prone region and overshadowed by the nearby Sun Temple, the community embodies rich cultural practices, ranging from maritime rituals and seasonal festivals to adaptive spatial organization, that remain largely undocumented in formal planning. Using qualitative fieldwork, including in-depth interviews, mapping, and focus group discussions, the study investigates how traditional livelihoods, spatial practices, and socio-cultural resilience interlink to shape community identity. The findings reveal that socio-spatial practices, such as multifunctional built environments, community-gathering spaces, and culturally embedded gender roles, sustain intangible heritage while adapting to environmental and economic changes. These insights provide planners and policymakers with a grounded understanding of how culturally rooted practices can inform sustainable development, heritage tourism, and disaster-resilient planning. The study recommends heritage-sensitive planning that integrates ICH into regional policies and community initiatives. It emphasizes using traditional spatial practices and local knowledge in coastal planning, promoting community-led tourism showcasing festivals, rituals, and crafts, and upgrading infrastructure without disrupting cultural practices. Tailored financial schemes should empower women and youth in cultural economies. Recognizing ICH as a dynamic system of community knowledge and resilience is vital for sustainable coastal development, tourism, and climate adaptation.

Pages: 27

Heritage tourism serves as a bridge between the past and the present, offering a unique opportunity to explore cultural narratives, traditions, and craftsmanship embedded within historic locales. The present chapter attempts to delve into the potential of promoting heritage tourism in the vibrant neighborhood of Kumartuli, Kolkata, along with the scenic bank of the river Hooghly. On the East bank, Kumartuli, renowned as the traditional potters’ quarter, stands as a testament to Kolkata’s rich cultural heritage and artistic legacy. This historic cultural enclave has emerged as a focal point for tourists seeking to immerse into the iconography intertwined with faith, rituals, religion, and spirituality of clay idol sculpting, particularly celebrating the festive season of Durga Puja. The investigation begins by examining the historical significance of Kumartuli as a hub of artistic craftsmanship, tracing its origins to the colonial era when potters from neighboring regions settled along the river bank as clusters of sculptors. Through a comprehensive analysis of archival records, ethnographic studies, and oral histories, the study elucidates the evolution of Kumartuli both as a cultural hotspot and its enduring influence on two other dimensions, i.e., Kolkata’s socio-cultural fabric and creative economy. It is this third aspect that the research explores to delineate the pattern of the creative socio-economic dynamics shaping the livelihoods of artisans and the interplay between tradition and modernity in the context of globalization. Today, the autumnal festival has been earmarked by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Moving beyond Kumartuli, the study extends to another larger armature, with its focus on the linear river bank of Kolkata, encompassing iconic landmarks such as the open flower markets at Jagannath Ghat, the iconic entry to Howrah Bridge, the inception point of the colonial city at Princep Ghat, the epicenter of global spiritual resurrection at Belur Math and Dakshineswar Kali Temple, which are some of the potential tourism nodes along the river bank, to name a few. Drawing upon existing literature, tourism data, and stakeholder interviews, the research attempts to evaluate the untapped potential of Kolkata’s river bank as an armature of a heritage tourism destination. By leveraging its architectural heritage, the key cultural landmarks of historic precincts and Ghats, dotted with linear stretches of scenic vistas, the river bank of Kolkata holds enormous promise to be augmented as a dynamic tourist circuit, offering immersive experiences that celebrate Kolkata’s diverse heritage blending traditional setup, the first imperial impacts of the British Colonial era, and the attempts of renewal after independence in 1947. The chapter concludes with strategic recommendations harnessing the full potential of heritage tourism along the two, i.e., the nodal cluster of Kumartuli and along the armature constituting a linear ribbon of nodes of Kolkata’s river bank. These recommendations encompass initiatives for basic infrastructure development, advanced facility and event management promoting heritage conservation, the role of community engagement, and the business plans and marketing strategies on creative economic potentials tailored to enhance visitor experiences. Ultimately, the findings contribute to a discourse on river-based heritage tourism planning and management, offering insights into the transformative power of cultural heritage in driving sustainable tourism development in urban landscapes originating along the accumulation of temporal traditions and flow of many years and centuries along a river.

Pages: 75

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 19

Coastal ecosystems are of great importance as they harbor diverse biodiversity resources. However, climate change threatens such ecosystems and reduces their ecosystem services, particularly coastal wetlands within urban areas. Climate change influences Land Surface Temperature (LST), which also influences the water resources and the vegetation of ecosystems. Monitoring these changes is crucial to proposing climate change adaptation strategies. Remote sensing applications offer opportunities to monitor these changes at local and global scales to assist environmental resource managers in devising strategies to properly manage these resources. This study employed the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), and Normalized Difference Salinity Index (NDSI) to study the changes in a coastal wetland from 2002 to 2022. Using Landsat 7 images from 2002, 2012, and 2022, the various indices were calculated. The results from the NDVI indicate that vegetation health increased from 0.322 in 2002 to 0.557 in 2012, but reduced drastically to 0.053 in 2022. NDWI reduced from 0.710 in 2002 to 0.493 in 2012, but increased to 0.5 in 2022. NDSI reduced from 0.385 in 2002 to 0.176 in 2012 and increased to 0.294 in 2022. Although the NDMI value was moderate in 2022, NDVI figures indicate stressed vegetation with a high salinity index. There is a need to devise strategies to assist community members who depend on the wetland for their livelihoods to adapt to the changing conditions. Appropriate governing structures and policies should be enacted to protect the wetland ecosystem.

Pages: 15

The developing world is witnessing a rapid expansion of urban areas, resulting in a significant loss of natural permeable surfaces, such as urban green spaces, agricultural lands, meadows, and wetlands. These permeable surfaces play a crucial role in offsetting surface runoff generated by a rainfall event, hence reducing the risk of urban flooding. The widespread implementation of nature-based solutions (NBSs), such as green roofs (GRs), can provide a viable mitigation measure to combat environmental degradation resulting from urbanisation. GRs, in particular, have been increasingly adopted for their infiltration potential, as well as thermal and acoustic insulation capacities. Therefore, significant attempts have been made to incorporate GRs into the urban fabric for improved sustainable drainage systems as well as to enhance urban biodiversity. However, these efforts have remained largely confined to the developed cities. Lack of funds, expertise, and relevant research in the cities of the Global South has remained a hindrance to the prevalence of GRs in these regions. This study places particular emphasis on coastal cities in the Global South, where the combined impacts of growing population, urbanisation, changing rainfall patterns, sea level rise, and suboptimal infrastructure worsen urban flooding risks. These cities can benefit significantly from the integration of affordable, scalable green infrastructure into the urban landscape. To this end, we focus on assessing the effectiveness of GRs under different climatic conditions, with the implementation of advanced yet inexpensive Internet of Things (IoT) and a sensor network. Based on the data collected from the sensors, we identify several parameters that govern the hydrological behaviour of a GR system. These parameters are further used to evaluate the performance of GRs in terms of reducing runoff and delaying peak times. Overall, our research contributes to the understanding of GRs as a cost-effective, NBSs for sustainable urban drainage systems. By quantifying their efficiency, we provide useful tools to urban planners, policymakers, and researchers seeking to optimise and implement GRs in urban environments, particularly in the Global South.

Pages: 20

Small communities like Pasaran Island in Bandar Lampung City, South Sumatra, Indonesia, are highly vulnerable to climate change (CC) due to their dependence on sensitive environmental systems and limited adaptive capacity. This study investigates the resilience of Pasaran Island’s community to CC impacts, including increased rainfall, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events. The research applied field observations, interviews, surveys with 100 respondents, and document analysis to assess community resilience across eight dimensions: governance, socioeconomic factors, natural resource management, land use conditions, risk knowledge, early warning systems, emergency response, and recovery. The findings indicate an overall low resilience score of 1.81 out of 5.00, with critical weaknesses in disaster management due to insufficient community-driven mitigation efforts. The high and moderate resilience score is in land use conditions (3.50), followed by governance (2.75) and socioeconomic factors (2.50). However, natural resource management (1.75) and early warning systems (2.00) score low, while risk knowledge (0.75), recovery (0.75), and emergency response (0.25) exhibit very low scores. Despite these challenges, there are significant opportunities to improve community resilience through disaster education, livelihood diversification, technological adoption, and raising public awareness. The study provides critical recommendations for policymakers and planners, emphasizing their crucial role in strengthening CC adaptation and disaster mitigation efforts to enhance the resilience of small island communities.

Pages: 19

In recent research, community resilience has gained increasing prominence due to concerns about the increasing frequency and severity of catastrophic disasters. Community resilience is the capacity to recover, rebuild, and adapt to positive growth after being disrupted and harmed by external forces. Community resilience is crucial in the context of Sagar Island, which is situated in West Bengal’s Sundarbans and is frequently struck by coastal disasters, including storm surges and cyclones in the Bay of Bengal. In this study, a case study approach is employed, primarily based on household-level surveys conducted within the community. The exposure of communities to severe coastal processes such as cyclones and storm surges, their sensitivity to these events, and their adaptability to cope with and recover from them are critical factors in determining community resilience. These factors are influenced by various economic, environmental, and social factors. This research attempts to find methods to improve community resilience in the event of future coastal disasters and to uncover the underlying mechanisms driving adaptive behaviours through GIS maps and in-depth analysis of household surveys. Further, a pairwise t-test is conducted to compare the vulnerability of the communities staying near and far from the weak embankments. The findings of this research highlight the significant role that community resilience plays on Sagar Island, revealing the complex interactions between exposure, sensitivity, and adaptation that influence how the island responds to coastal disasters. The findings indicate that despite facing formidable challenges, Sagar Island’s inhabitants demonstrate remarkable resilience through various coping strategies and adaptive measures. Policymakers and practitioners can strengthen the island’s capacity to endure and recover from future storm surges and cyclonic disturbances by developing targeted interventions based on their understanding of the socio-economic and environmental factors influencing resilience capacities. Ultimately, this research contributes to the broader discourse on building resilient coastal communities in the face of escalating climate risks.

Pages: 65

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 15

Alteration of natural resources due to changing climatic patterns and their adverse effects on the livelihoods of people has been recognized as the most pronounced threat to India’s economic growth in the ‘National Action Plan on Climate Change’. Deforestation, pollution, and overexploitation of resources underscore the changes that lead to the generation of Ecosystem Services (ES) we receive from various ecosystems and natural areas. The 7517 Km Indian coast spans across various states, connecting different cultural communities that thrive on the fisheries and the agriculture industry. There is a dire need to ensure sustainable livelihoods of coastal areas by judicial use and management of resources present in the region to ensure and meet the present and future needs of the population residing there. On the one hand, a high consumption lifestyle and unsustainable practices in the modern world are adding fuel to climate-generated risks in our cities and villages. On the other hand, various policies and schemes by the Indian government to harness fisheries potential are a step toward Sustainable, Responsible, Inclusive, and Equitable distribution of resources. The economic prospects for coastal communities can be strengthened by harnessing the untapped potential of fisheries and aquaculture by addressing the issues of infrastructure, spatial planning, and natural disasters, as this sector provides nutritional security and employment to over 16 million people in India. Mainstreaming of ecosystem services is required for various decision-making contexts to assess management alternatives and adaptive strategies required to cope with climate-generated risks. This chapter attempts to provide a systematic review from the peer-reviewed literature to explore patterns in existing study approaches for impact analysis on natural resources and infrastructure; vulnerability analysis of cultural and regional landscapes, as well as management and governance of coastal and marine areas of India and the Global South. The methodology employed in the study uses a three-stage process of sorting literature to find patterns of climate analysis, landscape planning, natural resource management, governance, and community engagement in decision-making in the current scenario to find gaps and disconnects in adopted approaches. The study also examines the role of the ecosystem services approach adopted worldwide in coastal and marine ecosystem assessments to understand the benefits of using this approach over conventional approaches in landscape design, planning, and management of natural resources. The results from the analysis of the above review suggest that to integrate the ecological, social, and economic facets of sustainability into landscape planning, existing frameworks in ES research have been proven better than conventional methods used by various disciplines conducting similar studies on nature conservation, natural resource management and infrastructure planning owing to better visibility of critical ES indicators that need attention of policy-makers.

Pages: 15

This chapter deals with the resilient behaviour exhibited by the fishing community to coastal hazards. The tsunami affected the marine fishing community of Edavanakkad panchayat in Ernakulam district, and Pattanakkad panchayat in Alappuzha district were selected for the study. Both of these panchayats are susceptible to sea level rise that is induced by climate change. In spite of their high vulnerability to coastal hazards, the fishing community had shown remarkable adaptive capacity. Their innate local wisdom, which is rooted in their strong belief systems, enables them to mitigate such dangerous situations. For the study, primary data were collected by using focus group discussions and key informant interviews, which were supported by literature studies. A field study among the fishing community residing in the study area gives an insight into remarkable findings related to their life and sustenance. There are instances that show that they are an overexploited community in terms of their land, labour and resources. They face a negative impact due to developmental activities, in addition to socio-economic and environmental challenges. Climate-change-induced coastal hazards pose a threat to the life and livelihood of the fishing community. Even though climate change is happening at the global level, its impacts are felt at the local level. Therefore, mitigation and adaptation need to be addressed at the local level. A Participatory planning approach is necessary to mitigate the climate change impacts at the local level. Moreover, the local indigenous knowledge has to be recognized, documented and integrated with the scientific realm for the effective mitigation of coastal hazards induced by climate change.

Pages: 19

In the context of sea level rise and the drivers of growing coastal populations and marine economies, urban seascapes are emerging as important new frontiers for urban adaptation to sea level rise and urbanisation at sea. Coastal cities are significantly influenced by the sea, and in turn, they greatly influence sea spaces. Therefore, urban seascapes relate closely to expanding coastal city developments and dynamic marine ecosystems. Using an integrative literature review, this chapter explores the ongoing and future transformations of urban seascapes towards water-based developments that respond to sea level rise and ecosystem-based marine urbanisation and need a holistic approach to planning for urban seascapes. It finds a spatial planning gap in city-scale urban seascapes where city plans are often constrained by a land–sea divide and marine spatial plans are often implemented at regional or national scales that hardly address local issues. We use the case of the Gold Coast, Queensland, to illustrate this planning gap in urban seascapes and argue that it is time for coastal cities and related authorities to prepare municipal marine spatial planning for urban seascapes. The chapter finishes by examining various municipal marine spatial planning challenges. Innovative methods and tools are needed to plan dynamic urban seascapes more effectively and adaptively.

Pages: 14

Coastal towns face a dual challenge of marine litter and climate change impacts, which are interconnected and pose significant threats to coastal ecosystems and communities. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2019 report highlighted that global warming and rising sea levels strain coastal environments, exacerbated by human-induced marine litter. This study examines the effectiveness of regulatory measures and community-driven initiatives for waste management in three coastal areas of Thiruvananthapuram, located in the southern state of Kerala, India, with varied characteristics of tourism and fisheries. These coastal stretches have varied characteristics and diverse user groups that respond differently to the initiatives adopted here. The study was carried out with a meticulously devised framework that captures initiatives’ goals, processes, and outcomes through parameters, sub-parameters, and questions to verify them. The study found that the waste management practices on the beaches were influenced by the existing regulatory and awareness measures to varying degrees in each context. Despite having clear goals, the support infrastructure services and continuity of implementation were deficient in converting them into sustainable practices. The presence of defined hotel associations in international tourist beaches helped to have better penetration of initiatives. Aligning with Ostrom’s principle of managing commons, the lack of leadership among the unorganized vendors made penetration of information difficult in those tourism areas with a NIMBY attitude. The feeling of ownership among the fishermen’s community made awareness-based bottom-up initiatives more effective, unlike the case of tourism regions, which necessitated a regulatory approach. Local socio-cultural practices and initiatives were vital primary steps; however, integration of such practices with a larger state or region-level priority ensures sustained results. The study identifies the approach that works in three different coastal areas, thereby supporting the local and state governments in making informed governance and policy measures in response to climate change. Further, it establishes a baseline for future studies on marine litter patterns through transect surveys and the impact of the adopted measures. This shall also help integrate and support existing socio-cultural approaches within the fragile coastal ecosystem in waste management and climate-resilient practices.

Pages: 10

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 8

This edited book reflects on the wealth of knowledge shared by contributors from various disciplines and geographical contexts. It offers a rich and insightful look into how coastal communities in the Global South are responding and adapting to the growing challenges of climate change. The concluding chapter of this book serves as a synthesis of the diverse chapters and recommendations for climate adaptation in coastal ecosystems.