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An empirical approach to assessing generic adaptive capacity to tropical cyclone risk in coastal districts of India

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Abstract

Differences in impacts of climate hazards across exposed units are determined by many factors including the severity of the hazard itself, the population that is exposed to the hazard and the coping capacity of the exposed units to the hazard. Coping capacity or adaptive capacity results from a combination of development status (generic capacity) and interventions pertinent to the hazard (specific capacity). This paper explores the extent to which the generic adaptive capacity may explain the variation in tropical cyclone impacts. Therefore this paper offers an empirical approach by which adaptive capacity may be measured and validated against actual outcomes. Results not only validate the role of generic adaptive capacity in explaining variations in impact but also reveal that general development indicators are not very important as far as predicting outcomes is concerned. Those indicators of development that can be linked to the impact process are significant in explaining and predicting impact. This can help identify those aspects of generic adaptive capacity which are important from the perspective of policy action for enhancing adaptive capacity to a particular climate hazard.

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Notes

  1. A document that summarizes the impacts of the cyclones at the district level, and is presented by the state government to the central government for the purpose of receiving financial assistance from the central government.

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Acknowledgement

This research was supported by the Advanced Institute on Vulnerability to Global Environmental Change, a program funded by the David and Lucille Packard Foundation and Coordinated by START in partnership with IIASA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India

    Upasna Sharma & Anand Patwardhan

Authors
  1. Upasna Sharma
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  2. Anand Patwardhan
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Correspondence to Upasna Sharma.

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Sharma, U., Patwardhan, A. An empirical approach to assessing generic adaptive capacity to tropical cyclone risk in coastal districts of India. Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Change 13, 819–831 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-008-9143-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-008-9143-8

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