Rajarshi Dasgupta – författare

This contributed volume presents the latest in research on geographies of the Indian Subcontinent, with a focus on innovative technologies and methodologies such as machine learning, remote sensing, geographic information systems, and more. The cases presented in this volume offer novel research that advances our understanding of the Indian Subcontinent in integrated and interdisciplinary manner. The book is split into three distinct sections. The first covers field observations and experiment design. The second examines applications of geospatial technologies and modelling techniques. The last section highlights cases of translating this research into concrete policy. The techniques described here and the lessons learned from the cases presented are transferrable to problems in geography across the globe, and the book is targeted towards young professors, scholars, and researchers interested in the emerging techniques being applied to research in the field of geography and allied disciplines.

This book outlines the performance and management of mangroves in the changing climatic scenario of the Asia-Pacific region and draws examples and lessons from the national and community-driven mangrove conservation programs of relevant countries including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan as well as the Pacific islands. By highlighting the major drawbacks that hinder effective mangrove conservation, the book contributes towards enhancing climate resilience of communities through proposition of corrective methods and ameliorative approaches of mangrove conservation.  

Mangroves play an important role in adapting to climate change and provide a plethora of ecosystem services that are fundamental to human survival. Yet these ecosystems are exceptionally prone to extinction due to increased human interventions and changes in environmental boundary conditions. Especially in the Asia-Pacific region, mangroves have dwindled at an exceptional high rate over the past three decades. As the threat of climate change hovers over millions of people in this region, particularly those who crowd the low-lying coastal areas, conservation/restoration of mangroves through appropriate policies and practices remain highly imperative. 

The primary target readers for this book are students and researchers in the fields of conservation and management of mangroves, especially from the developing tropical countries of the Asia-Pacific region. Other target groups comprise policy planners, practitioners, and NGO workers, who will be able to apply the collective knowledge from this work towards proactive mangrove conservation through effective mediation in local communities.  

This edited book discusses Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) from conception to implementation in building resilience and urban sustainability. The book emphasizes on infrastructures, institutions, and perceptions as three main pillars of implementing and managing successful BGI, with a special focus on Asia. The book highlights concepts as well as field-based experiences from different parts of Asia by experts, with a special focus on advances and opportunities in advancing BGI, challenges and constraints, followed by case studies on BGI mainstreaming. It addresses sustainable water management, multiscale environmental design, environmental risk assessment, and finally understanding policy implications and concerns for BGI mainstreaming in growing urban sprawls of the region. There has been growing global momentum and recognition of Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) as a multifunctional Nature-based Solution (NbS) with multiple co-benefits. There is strong evidence from many urban centres of Europe, USA, China, and South Africa demonstrating that mainstreaming BGI can help in addressing growing vulnerability of urban areas by ensuring safety, resilience, and sustainability for urban residents in the warming world. This book is a timely contribution for researchers, students, scholars, urban planners, consultants, and policy makers in the fields of environment, resilience, urban planning, climate adaptation, and sustainability science.

This book presents the state-of-the-art of knowledge in assessing, mapping, and modeling mangrove ecosystem services and outlines various scientific tools and techniques, including environmental scenario-building, spatial and econometric modelling to understand the fluctuations and future availability of mangrove ecosystem services.  The book also highlights the current gaps and measures in policy planning and outlines the avenues for capacity building. Through case studies and thematic reviews, the book plans to cater to a wide range of audiences, including students, researchers, and decision-makers at various levels involved in mangrove conservation and land use optimization for sustainable and resilient development.  

This book is particularly useful to researchers and students in the field of landscape and spatial ecology, coastal zone management, ecosystem services, and resilience planning. It is also a must-read for policymakers, conservators, coastal zone managers, foresters, and general administrators in understanding the current and future roles of mangroves in ecosystem-based adaptation through informed decision-making. 

With increasing emphasis on the inclusion of indigenous and local knowledge into natural resource governance and conservation by international agencies like the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the proposed book will significantly contribute to the existing knowledge base and demonstrate the importance of mainstreaming indigenous water knowledge and practices into water governance and decision making. The UN SDGs, recognizing the significance of indigenous knowledge systems, emphasized its inclusion in most aspects and principles of SDGs. Apart from direct links with SDGs like zero hunger (SDG 2), no poverty (SDG 1), and climate action (SDG 13), indigenous and local knowledge system is considered to be directly connected to clean water and sanitation (SDG 6). The book will be useful to researchers and students in the field of indigenous knowledge and education, water governance, community-level planning, and water sustainability. The book can be referred to for postgraduate courses and beyond, as well as policymakers, conservationists, non-governmental organizations, development practitioners, and local government officials.