ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on the North Indian state of Uttarakhand and provides a case for a more nuanced understanding of people's perceptions of climate change. It demonstrates that while consensus building is a difficult challenge in processes of deliberative governance, the process helps in developing a shared understanding of the multiple framings surrounding climate change. The book explores the evolving practices of peri-urban farmers around Kathmandu. It discusses climate change migration as a positive outcome mediated through such factors as local governance structures, policy responses, and socio-economic aspects, rather than climate change. The book reviews key studies focusing on land grabbing and displacement as the reasons for migration. It also focuses on the impacts of global climate change on transboundary waters in the context of the Brahmaputra River basin, an important river system of South Asia.