Exposure to Climatic Variability and Associated Hydro-Meteorological Hazards in Beas River Basin of Western Himalaya, India

Abstract

The factors contributing to vulnerability can significantly differ across different locations and time periods, as certain communities, age demographics, areas, landscapes, and countries are more at risk from climate change. As a result, comprehending the spatial and temporal trends of current climates and their dependable projections is essential for better preparing to tackle the consequences of climate change. Another critical element of climate change mitigation and adaptation involves creating strategies that are relevant to specific local contexts. Exposure was defined as the cumulative impact of various climate and hydro-meteorological hazards. This approach allowed us to establish a climate change exposure index that takes into account both historical and current conditions. The exposure index can amalgamate numerous factors representing climate variability and related hydro-meteorological threats to inform proactive decision-making. Consequently, several indicators have been consolidated into a unified index to assess the level of exposure to climate variability. A positive correlation has been identified between climate change, hydro-meteorological hazards, and exposure. Our analysis revealed that, out of fifteen districts, ten exhibit a high degree of exposure to rainfall variability, residents from eight districts might face the risks associated with landslides, six districts are vulnerable to wind damage, five are at risk of temperature variability, and five are exposed to flood events.