Climate change has no borders. In the face of escalating climate-induced vulnerabilities and transboundary disasters, South Asian states find themselves at a crossroads where regional cooperation is imperative for effective adaptation and mitigation. From the interconnected challenges of managing transboundary water resources to addressing the urgent issue of climate-induced migration, the region faces a complex web of geopolitical, socio-economic, and environmental hurdles. Despite shared vulnerabilities and similar institutional frameworks, structural barriers such as data secrecy and outdated agreements often hinder the path toward meaningful cooperation. Entrenched geopolitical rivalry plays an enormous role in perpetuating these barriers, but there are feasible steps each country can take to overcome them.
In this joint series with The Third Pole, SAV aims to ignite dialogue and action for a more collaborative approach to combating climate change in South Asia. Authors in this series explore how South Asian governments can adapt to climate change by pursuing diplomatic, transparent, and cooperative frameworks, despite the challenges.
Soraya Kishtwari examines the phenomenon of cross-border climate migration, arguing that India and Bangladesh must create common legal and governance frameworks to tackle the issue. Dharam Uprety makes the case for sharing early warning systems technology for flood forecasting between India, Nepal, and China as the only viable way forward for disaster management. Ambika Vishwanath and Sanya Saroha dissect the challenges of bilateralism when it comes to integrating climate change into transboundary water management, and argue for a regional approach instead. Finally, Omair Ahmad argues that the institutionalized culture of data secrecy prevents South Asian governments, and local communities, from effectively responding to transboundary water crises.
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