| dc.description.abstract | India has good reasons to be concerned about climate change as it could adversely affect the achievement of vital national
development goals related to socio-economic development, human welfare, health, energy availability and use, and
infrastructure. The paper attempts to develop a framework for integrated impact assessment and adaptation responses, using
a recently built railroad coastal infrastructure asset in India as an example. The framework links climate change variables
— temperature, rainfall, sea level rise, extreme events, and other secondary variables — and sustainable development
variables — technology, institutions, economic, and other policies. The study indicates that sustainable development
variables generally reduce the adverse impacts on the system due to climate change alone, except when they are
inadequately applied. The paper concludes that development is a vital variable for integrated impact assessment. Well
crafted developmental policies could result in a less-GHG intensive future, enhanced adaptive capacities of communities
and systems, and lower impacts due to climate change. | |
