Local Perceptions and Trends of Climate Change in the Sikkim Himalaya, North-East India

Abstract

The Himalayan high mountain areas are more vulnerable to climate change and the awareness of its impacts among the natives is very crucial as well as beneficial to stakeholders and policymakers. The impacts of climate change via food security, water availability, natural hazards, agriculture, and livelihoods have a direct relation or threat to the lives of high mountain communities, as these areas are experiencing the immediate and greatest impacts of climate change. Although the tourism industry has become the backbone of the economy in these areas, a significant increase in tourist footfall has also impacted the environment, livelihoods, culture and food habits. To understand the local perceptions of climate change, a binary question-based survey (interview) was conducted in six main subdivisions of North Sikkim, which is a biodiversity and tourism hotspot. The data revealed that irrespective of the locality (urban/rural) people are aware of climate change. Significant coherence in the responses among gender and age groups, and between remote and developed areas exist. The transhumant herder populations are also well aware of climate change (80%). Peoples’ perception about temperature change and the meteorological data are also consistent, however, a misperception is observed with the precipitation data. Decreasing snowfall patterns and increasing landslides in the higher altitudes are major concerns among the natives. The majority of people have denied any positive outcome of climate change and around 85% of the respondents are willing to participate at the community level in mitigation efforts to help curb climate change.