Click the star to add/remove an item to/from your individual schedule.
You need to be logged in to avail of this functionality.
Log in
Accepted Paper:
Paper short abstract:
Jharkhand, home to 32 Tribes, faces climate-induced challenges like rainfall variability, deforestation, and mining. These issues disrupt agriculture, erode tribal livelihoods, and force migration. It critiques policies, urging justice-focused solutions to protect tribal rights and ancestral lands.
Paper long abstract:
Jharkhand (the 28th Indian State), means “The land of forests,” is home to 32 Scheduled Tribes with a profound connection to their ancestral lands, which are integral to their identity, culture, and livelihoods, predominantly centered on agriculture and allied activities. Jharkhand’s agriculture relies heavily on the south-west monsoon (June-September), but rainfall variability poses significant challenges. According to the Climatological Report of Jharkhand (2011), unpredictable pre- and post-monsoon rainfall, alongside frequent droughts, has negatively impacted agricultural productivity. For instance, in 2010, a 47% rainfall deficit led to a more than 50% decline in food production, while erratic excessive rainfall caused floods, further damaging agricultural fields.
Deforestation exacerbates these challenges. From 2001 to 2023, Jharkhand lost 5.98 kha of tree cover, emitting 3.12 Mt of CO₂. Humid primary forests, crucial for biodiversity, saw a 0.77% decline due to developmental projects and extensive mining operations for coal and minerals. The top two regions, including Pashchimi Singhbhum, accounted for 59% of tree cover loss. This environmental degradation not only disrupts ecosystems but also erodes the cultural and economic foundations of tribal communities.
Deforestation, mining, and land alienation have forced tribes reliant on forests and farming to migrate to urban areas for low-paying jobs in construction and agriculture. Migration severs their connection to ancestral lands, disrupts cultural identities, and exposes them to exploitation, perpetuating socio-economic inequalities. This paper critiques climate policies, advocating for justice-centered approaches to empower tribes, protect their rights, and enable sustainable adaptation to environmental change.
Justice in crisis: climate and ecological crisis and justice [ECC SG]
Session 2 Wednesday 25 June, 2025, -