An analysis of local political forces around the management of climate change-led disasters in the Indian Sundarbans

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the impacts of political forces within local governance mechanisms during and in the aftermath of climate change led disasters in the Indian Sundarbans. Analyzing post-disaster scenarios after recent cyclones like Amphan and Yaas we aim to answer analytical questions like, what costs are born by people in vulnerable landscapes when disaster mitigation action plans are marred by climate politics? How do political capacities of different actors shape the implementation of climate action in the aftermath of disasters? These questions might justify whether climate actions are part of a comprehensive strategy of vulnerability reduction or merely symbolic gestures that lack a deeper understanding of place-based environmental and social complexities that are intertwined with the seemingly visible impacts of climate change. Drawing on empirical observations from selected disaster affected villages of the Indian Sundarbans, we argue that competing models of climate change led disaster management requires protracted engagement with the overarching role of electoral politics in mediating the crisis scenario and post-disaster recovery.