climate vulnerability assessment in Meghalaya

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 the Climate, Energy and Sustainable Technology (CEST) Division of the Department of Science and Technology has established State Climate Change Cells (SCCCs) in 30 States and UTs of the country to improve coherence in climate actions between the Centre and States, and among States.

The Meghalaya Climate Change Centre (MCCC), under the Government of Meghalaya, is one of the critical components of 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. Meghalaya is part of the broader Indian Himalayan Region, which includes the states of the Northeast.

Recognising this, the MCCC has conducted a comprehensive block-level climate vulnerability assessment covering the 39 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 first block-level climate vulnerability assessment in Meghalaya shows 25 blocks in high or very high vulnerability categories. The significant contributing factors include limited access to institutional credit, low household incomes, inadequate public health and nutrition infrastructure, such as Anganwadi Centres, 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.