Knowledge Systems of Societies for Adaptation and Mitigation of Impact

Climate change is broadly recognized as a key environmental issue affecting social and ecological systems worldwide. At the Cancun summit of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change's 16th Conference, the parties jointly agreed that the vulnerable groups particularly in developing countries and whose livelihood is based on land use practices are the most common victims as in most cases their activities are shaped by the climate. Therefore, solving the climate dilemma through mitigation processes and scientific research is an ethical concern. Thus combining the knowledge systems of the societies and scientific evidences can greatly assist in the creation of coping mechanisms for sustainable development in a situation of changing climate. International Humboldt Kolleg focusing on "knowledge systems of societies and Climate Change" was organized at ISEC. This event was of unique importance, as the year 2011-12 was celebrated as the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between India and Germany with the motto "Germany and India - Infinite Opportunities." This volume is the outcome of the papers presented during the IHK 2011 at ISEC, India.

Combating the effects of climate change on human systems calls for integrated interdisciplinary research

Prologue.- Accepting Climate Change Challenges: gambling with the future or path-finding for long-term sustainability?.- Ethics of International Action on Climate Change - How Would Mahatma Gandhi Have Looked At It?.- Ethical Analysis of the Global Climate Dilemma.- Ecosystem-Resilience: A Long Journey to Nature Policy.- Climate Change Induced Coral Bleaching and Algal Phase Shift in Reefs of the Gulf of Mannar, India.- Economic Valuation and Sustainability of Dal Lake Ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir.- Biodiversity Conservation, Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change: A Complex Interrelationship.- The Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Insect Pests in Cultivated Ecosystems: An Indian Perspective.- Arsenic Groundwater Contamination Related Socio-Economic Problems in India: Issues and Challenges.- Climate Change and Tomography.- Rethinking Sustainable Development in the Context of Climate Change: Self-Development, Social Transformations and Planetary Realizations.- Biofuels Utilisation - An Attempt to Reduce GHG's and Mitigate Climate Change.- Impact of Forestry Products on Climate Change Mitigation in India.- Climate Change Impact in Cold Arid Deserts of North-Western Himalaya: Community Based Adaptations and Mitigations.- Conservation of Multipurpose Tree Species to Ensure Ecosystem Sustainability and Farmers Livelihood in Indian Arid Zone.- Exploring the Impacts of Climate Variability on Traditional Agricultural Practices in the Villages of THAR.- Use of Seed and Plant Protection Technologies in Indian Agriculture: Emerging Issues and Environmental Challenges in Cotton Cultivation in Gujarat in the Post Bt Scenario.

This book discusses ethical concerns around solving the climate dilemma through mitigation processes and scientific research, keeping in mind vulnerable groups in developing countries whose livelihood depends on responsible land use practice.