According to a new study 25 out of 39 Community & Rural Development (C&RD) Blocks in Meghalaya fall under the high or very high climate vulnerability categories.

The Climate Change Programme under CEST Division of the Department of Science and Technology has established State Climate Change Cells (SCCCs) in 30 States/UTs of the country for better coherence on climate actions between Centre and States, and among States. The Meghalaya Climate Change Centre (MCCC), Government of Meghalaya is one of the important components under the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) under the National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC).

Climate change poses severe threats to both natural ecosystems and socio-economic systems, particularly in fragile regions such as the Indian Himalayas.

Recognizing this, the Meghalaya Climate Change Centre (MCCC) has conducted a comprehensive block-level climate vulnerability assessment covering the 39 Community & Rural Development (C&RD) Blocks of the State under NMSHE. The study adopts a common national framework to integrate biophysical and socio-economic indicators through a tiered, top-down approach.

Fig 1: Map showing Blocks category based on the Integrated Vulnerability Assessment.

The assessment which reveals high or very high climate vulnerability 25 out of 39 C&RD Blocks shows that major contributing factors include limited access to institutional credit, low household incomes, inadequate public health and nutrition infrastructure, such as Anganwadi Centres and scarce forest resources and low irrigation coverage.

These indicators highlight areas requiring targeted policy attention to enhance adaptive capacity and promote climate-resilient livelihoods.

The research provides actionable insights for policymakers, especially those engaged in climate resilience planning, rural development, and socio-economic equity. By revealing local-level vulnerabilities that district-level assessments may overlook, this study enables location-specific adaptation and mitigation strategies tailored to Meghalaya’s diverse terrain and communities.

The findings underscore the importance of integrated climate adaptation planning at the grassroots level and contribute to the broader national agenda of building a climate-resilient Himalayan ecosystem.

 

 

Fig 2: Drivers contributing to Integrated Vulnerability in Meghalaya at the Block Level.

The study titled “Integrated Climate Vulnerability Assessment of Meghalaya at Block Level” has been published in the renowned journal Discover Sustainability, underscoring its scientific merit and policy relevance.

Publication link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43621-025-01500-6

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