Key Vulnerabilities of Human Society in South Asia to Climate Change and Adaptation Issues and Strategies

Most of the area in the South Asian region, namely, Afghanistan, Bangladesh,Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and India, lie in temperate and tropical regions that is influenced predominantly by the monsoons. The physiography of the region is diverse ranging from the Himalayas in the North, the long coast line, a vast desert and tropical forests with rich biodiversity reserve. In the recent years, huge losses have been incurred due to climate related hazards (see Box One) and recovering from such shocks has not been easy as socio-economics of the region is characterized by large population and high levels of poverty and unequal development within the countries mainly due to the non-attainment of its development goals such as eradication of poverty, universal education and a sustainable environment.