Abstract

Global environmental change (GEC) threatens to undermine the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Smallholders in marginal mountainous areas (MMA) are particularly vulnerable due to precarious livelihoods in challenging environments. Acting collectively can enable and constrain the ability of smallholders to adapt to GEC. The objectives of this paper are: (i) identify collective actions in four MMA of the central Indian Himalaya Region, each with differing institutional contexts; (ii) assess the adaptive capacity of each village by measuring livelihood capital assets, diversity, and sustainable land management practices. Engaging with adaptive capacity and collective action literatures, we identify three broad approaches to adaptive capacity relating to the SDGs: natural hazard mitigation (SDG 13), social vulnerability (SDG 1, 2 and 5), and social–ecological resilience (SDG 15). We then develop a conceptual framework to understand the institutional context and identify SDG synergies and trade-offs. Adopting a mixed method approach, we analyse the relationships between collective action and the adaptive capacity of each village, the sites where apparent trade-offs and synergies among SDGs occur. Results illustrate each village has unique socio-environmental characteristics, implying distinct development challenges, vulnerabilities and adaptive capacities exist. Subsequently, specific SDG synergies and trade-offs occur even within MMA, and it is therefore crucial that institutions facilitate locally appropriate collective actions in order to achieve the SDGs. We suggest that co-production in the identification, prioritisation and potential solutions to the distinct challenges facing MMA can increase understandings of the specific dynamics and feedbacks necessary to achieve the SDGs in the context of GEC.

Highlights

  • The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change acknowledge the benefits of strengthening linkages between climate and development

  • The findings presented here provide a snapshot of four marginal mountainous areas (MMA) villages in the central Indian Himalaya Region (CIHR), and illustrate quantitatively that each village has unique characteristics, implying that distinct development challenges and vulnerabilities are present, distinct kinds of adaptive capacity exist, and suggesting that different kinds of collective action facilitated by formal institutions are appropriate

  • Identifying and analysing collective action in MMA focused on the three approaches to adaptive capacity: natural hazard mitigation (SDG13), social vulnerability (SDG1, 2 and 5), and social–ecological resilience (SDG15). This contributes to our understanding of how to capture the synergies while limiting the trade-offs among sustainable development goals (SDGs) while enhancing adaptive capacity in MMA

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Summary

Introduction

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change acknowledge the benefits of strengthening linkages between climate and development. This is important as the risks associated with rapid global environmental change (GEC) threaten to undermine achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) (GomezEcheverri 2018). Policy and practice draw on three existing conceptual approaches that are likely to be useful for enhancing smallholder’s adaptive capacity, namely: natural hazard mitigation, social vulnerability and social–ecological resilience (Eakin et al 2009; Suckall et al 2018). Assessment of the potential synergies and trade-offs between approaches and actions for sustainable development is considered one of the most pressing priorities for research for the SDGs (Nilsson et al 2018). Understanding the range of positive and negative interactions among SDGs is key to unlocking their full potential, ensuring that progress made in some areas is not at the expense of progress in others (Nilsson et al 2018)

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