Inter –Linkages Between Climate Change Vulnerability and Inequality an Empirical Study Across Hill, Foothill, Drought and Coastal Regions of West Bengal, India

Abstract

India is one of the vulnerable countries in the world in terms of climate events. The poor people and poor regions are badly affected by climate change. On the other hand, the reduction of vulnerability received a top priority in the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The present paper attempts to examine the inter-linkages between climate change vulnerability and inequality empirically across four agro-climatic regions of West Bengal like hill, foothill, drought and coastal regions. Vulnerability in the present paper is measured by adopting composite livelihood vulnerability index and income (consumption) inequality is measured by Gini coefficient. This is an empirical paper based on primary data collected from 627 households over 15 villages in different agro-climatic regions of West Bengal during 2018- 2019. The result of the paper showed that there is a positive correlation relation between income inequality (consumption) and vulnerability. The higher inequality is accompanied by higher vulnerability and vice versa. The study draws an important policy implication for reduction of vulnerability as well as reduction of inequality. The poverty reduction measures are not sufficient to reduce inequality i.e., if inequalities are on the rise the anti-poverty measures cannot reduce such inequality.