Twin disasters: tracking COVID-19 and cyclone Amphan’s impacts on SDGs in the Indian Sundarbans

Pramanik, Malay, Szabo, Sylvia, Pal, Indrajit, Udmale, Parmeshwar, O’Connor, Jack, Sanyal, Manas, Roy, Souvanic and Sebesvari, Zita, (2021). Twin disasters: tracking COVID-19 and cyclone Amphan’s impacts on SDGs in the Indian Sundarbans. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 63(4), 20-30

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  • Sub-type Journal article
    Author Pramanik, Malay
    Szabo, Sylvia
    Pal, Indrajit
    Udmale, Parmeshwar
    O’Connor, Jack
    Sanyal, Manas
    Roy, Souvanic
    Sebesvari, Zita
    Title Twin disasters: tracking COVID-19 and cyclone Amphan’s impacts on SDGs in the Indian Sundarbans
    Appearing in Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development
    Volume 63
    Issue No. 4
    Publication Date 2021-07-02
    Place of Publication London
    Publisher Taylor & Francis
    Start page 20
    End page 30
    Language eng
    Abstract India has the third-highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases with highest daily case (more than 60k) detected on a daily basis as of 19 August, 2020. To control coronavirus cases the Government of India has enforced strict lockdowns, including restrictions on the movement of people and goods leading to far-reaching impacts on livelihoods. The people in the the Sundarbans delta region are particularily affected due to their pre-existing socio-economic and environmental vulnerabilities. Here we evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the effect of the recent Cyclone Amphan, on the livelihoods of the Sundarbans people. We collected qualitative data using telephone interviews exploring the experiences of key informants including local farmers, fisherman and NGO workers. We found compound effects of natural hazards with pandemic lockdown conditions are resulting in severe damage to infrastructure and ongoing disruptions of employment and commerce. In addition, poor land management practices are increasing the vulnerability of the region to climate change impacts. Storm activity and rising sea level are decimating embankments while farmlands and ponds are at increasing risk of salt water intrusion, making them unsuitable for cultivation in the future. New perspectives on resilience in sustainable development programs focusing on local-level assessment and intervention measures, particularly on livelihoods, food security and market chains, are required to support these populations. Coordinated assessment, support, risk reduction, appropriate interventions and policy implications to minimize the livelihood and food security threats to fulfill the basic needs of people, to sustain the economy of the Sundarbans and to avoid further humanitarian crises in the world’s biggest delta region.
    UNBIS Thesaurus INDIA
    SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
    Keyword COVID-19
    Cyclone Amphan
    Multi-hazards
    Sundarbans
    Copyright Holder Informa UK Limited
    Copyright Year 2021
    Copyright type All rights reserved
    DOI 10.1080/00139157.2021.1924575
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    Created: Thu, 24 Feb 2022, 00:30:58 JST by Aarti Basnyat on behalf of UNU EHS