ABSTRACT

The study focuses on four river basins, Gandaki, Indus, Upper Ganga and Teesta, in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region in South Asia. The region is considered one of the more environmentally vulnerable areas in the world due to recurrent natural hazards that can be exacerbated by future climate change. The dependence of the population on natural resources based livelihoods makes the region particularly vulnerable to adverse climate change impacts. Labour migration can help household adaptation, particularly when it incurs significant cash investment. The paper analyses the determinants of household adaptation, including migration, in three sectors, namely, agriculture, livestock, and water. It shows that household adaptation to the negative effects of climate change was very poor in the region, with less than a third of the households undertaking adaptation measures. While labour migration showed a positive influence on household adaptation, it was statistically significant only in agriculture. Nevertheless, migration influenced household adaptation indirectly through livelihood diversification, access to services provide of external stakeholders, and changes in household composition. The study identified location, access to climate information, and services provided by external stakeholders as important factors in household adaptation to climate change.

摘要

该研究的重点是南亚兴都库什喜马拉雅 (HKH) 地区的甘达基河、印度河、恒河上游和提斯塔河四个流域。该地区被认为是世界上环境最脆弱的地区之一，因为经常性的自然灾害可能会因未来的气候变化而加剧。人口对以自然资源为基础的生计的依赖使该地区特别容易受到不利的气候变化影响。劳务移民可以帮助家庭适应，尤其是在需要大量现金投资时。本文分析了农业、畜牧业和水三个部门的家庭适应（包括迁移）的决定因素。这表明该地区家庭对气候变化负面影响的适应能力很差，不到三分之一的家庭采取了适应措施。虽然劳动力迁移对家庭适应有积极影响，但仅在农业方面具有统计学意义。然而，移民通过生计多样化、获得外部利益相关者提供的服务以及家庭构成的变化间接影响了家庭适应。该研究确定位置、气候信息的获取以及外部利益相关者提供的服务是家庭适应气候变化的重要因素。获得外部利益相关者提供的服务，以及家庭构成的变化。该研究确定位置、气候信息的获取以及外部利益相关者提供的服务是家庭适应气候变化的重要因素。获得外部利益相关者提供的服务，以及家庭构成的变化。该研究确定位置、气候信息的获取以及外部利益相关者提供的服务是家庭适应气候变化的重要因素。