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Climate-Induced and Geophysical Hazards and Risk Reduction Financing in Mountain Regions

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Climate Change Adaptation, Risk Management and Sustainable Practices in the Himalaya

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Abstract

Geophysical hazards are ubiquitous phenomena occurring in the Himalayan Mountains. These hazards are directly linked to the unique natural physical characteristics of the region, climate-related phenomena such as cloudbursts and storms that lead to flash flooding, and the anthropogenic influence of human activities and developmental structures such as road infrastructure, hydroelectric power plants, settlements, and agricultural activities. Widespread devastation, loss of life, and developmental setbacks ensue in the immediate wake of the event, but economic and livelihood setbacks may take years, if at all. Both direct and indirect economic impacts are important at the community level. Direct economic impacts refer to the loss of physical assets such as homes and damaged infrastructure for information and communication technology (ICT), transport, agriculture, and energy. Alternatively, indirect economic impacts refer to loss of utility as a result of direct impacts such as the inability to travel to places of employment and supply chain disruptions. To manage the impacts of the hazards, communities may integrate climate adaptation measures into their dwellings to reduce their risk exposure. Risk reduction measures must be coupled with financial resilience actions to ensure adequate risk management. Greater financial resilience can be delivered from public and private finance sources, both of which are discussed in this research.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Global Change Institute, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Kamleshan Pillay

  2. District Disaster Management Authority, Haridwar, Uttarkhand, India

    Hari Ballabh

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

    Srinivasan Pillay

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  1. Kamleshan Pillay
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  2. Hari Ballabh
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  3. Srinivasan Pillay
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for the Study of Regional Development, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

    Sanjeev Sharma

  2. G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Almora, Uttarakhand, India

    Jagdish Chandra Kuniyal

  3. Department of Geography, School of Environment and Earth Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India

    Pritam Chand

  4. Department of Environmental Studies, PGDAV College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Pardeep Singh

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Pillay, K., Ballabh, H., Pillay, S. (2023). Climate-Induced and Geophysical Hazards and Risk Reduction Financing in Mountain Regions. In: Sharma, S., Kuniyal, J.C., Chand, P., Singh, P. (eds) Climate Change Adaptation, Risk Management and Sustainable Practices in the Himalaya. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24659-3_5

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