Impact of Climate Change Vulnerability on Socio-Economic Indicators in Karnataka

Climate change will have a profound impact on human and eco-systems during the coming decades through variations in global average temperature and rainfall. The present study was done to decipher the socio-economic vulnerability of climate change in Karnataka using the secondary data. Karnataka is the second most vulnerable state in India to be impacted by climate change as the North Karnataka regions have the arid and driest regions. Tabular analyses have been used to derive valid conclusions. The vulnerability index at district level was computed based on the demographic and social, occupational, agricultural and climatic dimensions. Local communities at the micro ecosystem level adapt/cope up with the changing climate conditions. The changing climate results to permanent migration from densely settled areas to less denser areas. It was observed that the large farmers were able to benefit from government subsidies, formal bank credit and crop insurance while smaller farmers were having less access to benefits caused due to lack of information and dependence on local merchants for credit. A large proportion of talukas in Karnataka are most backward falling in Gulbarga division of the northern Karnataka. Local communities at the micro ecosystem level adopt/cope up with the changing climate conditions.