Abstract:
Climate change poses enduring challenges, disproportionately affecting small-scale fishing communities that rely on ocean resources. This study examines the limits of adaptation within one such community, analysing how biophysical and socioeconomic factors shape their capacity to cope with changing climate. By assessing the thresholds beyond which adaptation becomes insufficient, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of vulnerability and the need for transformative resilience strategies. Using primary data collected through semi-structured questionnaires for in-depth interviews from five villages in Gujarat, India, we identify various socioeconomic and political challenges hindering the community's ability to adapt. Factors such as marginalisation, illiteracy, lack of capacity building, debt traps by fish traders, and inadequate infrastructure emerge as significant barriers to adaptation. Despite the community's efforts to increase fishing hours and trips, limitations imposed by the natural system remain insurmountable. Diversification of livelihoods is constrained not only by financial capital but also by a lack of skills. The absence of social protection nets exacerbates their vulnerability, pushing them towards reliance on exploitative lending practices. Technological barriers impede adaptation, with limited awareness of new fishing techniques and degraded equipment. The findings call for the need for targeted interventions to build capacity and transformative adaptation strategies to address fisher communities multifaceted challenges.
Biography:
Monika holds a Ph.D. and M.Phil in Habitat Studies from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, and a Master’s degree in Climate Change and Sustainability Studies from the same institution. Her interdisciplinary training spans climate adaptation, environmental governance, sustainable development, and policy research. Her research interests lie at the intersection of climate change adaptation, environmental policy, blue economy, coastal and marine sustainability, and community-led natural resource management. She is particularly focused on exploring the impacts of climate extremes on vulnerable populations and ecosystem, designing institutional and policy frameworks that promote resilience and sustainability. Her Ph.D. research specifically examined the impacts of climate change on marine fisheries in India.
Before joining IIT Delhi, she has worked extensively across key development sectors such as water security, natural resource governance, climate resilience, and community-based environmental management. Her experience spans grassroots initiatives on water conservation and rainwater harvesting in arid regions, field research on forest rights and forest-dependent livelihoods in tribal areas, and participatory vulnerability assessments in urban slums affected by climate-induced extreme events. She has also engaged in sustainability education through experiential learning, working with diverse groups including students, practitioners, and community stakeholders. More recently, her work has expanded to include the blue economy, where she is involved in policy and institutional research focused on coastal and marine governance, marine litter management, and climate resilience of fisherfolk communities.
With such a diverse professional and academic background, Monika brings a nuanced understanding of both grassroots challenges and institutional dynamics. She believes strongly in adaptability, respectful engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing complex sustainability issues.
