Drowning Lands

This book offers a comprehensive and forwardlooking examination of how global warming is reshaping the world's river deltas, among the most vulnerable yet vital landscapes on Earth. It provides critical insights into the environmental, social, and political challenges faced by deltaic regions as intensifying climate pressures converge on lowlying coastal areas.

The volume emphasizes the central importance of delta resilience for global climate adaptation and human security, particularly in the context of rising sea levels, extreme weather events, altered hydrological cycles, accelerated land loss, saltwater intrusion, biodiversity decline, and disruptions to food systems.

It covers key thematic areas including deltaic geomorphology, sealevel rise, salinization, land subsidence, food security, climateinduced migration, urban infrastructure risk, and the role of traditional knowledge in adaptation. Indepth case studies from major delta systems, such as the Mekong, Nile, GangesBrahmaputra, and Mississippi, highlight both shared vulnerabilities and regionspecific dynamics. It also examines governance challenges, financing mechanisms, and international cooperation in managing transboundary river systems, while assessing naturebased solutions, managed retreat, and emerging adaptation technologies. By bringing together expert perspectives and evidencebased research, it fills critical knowledge gaps and offers a clear roadmap for policy and future action.

The volume serves both as a scholarly contribution and a practical guide for policymakers, planners, environmental NGOs, climate professionals, and graduate students concerned with the future of deltaic environments under climate change.

Combines global climate resilience views with local solutions for each delta's unique conditions Links global climate policy debates with real-world needs of delta communities and leaders Fuses geography, sociology, science, and policy to tackle climate change in delta regions

Autorentext

Sushobhan Majumdar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Pandit Raghunath Murmu Smriti Mahavidyalaya, affiliated with Bankura University, India. An applied geographer with over 13 years of experience in academic research and professional practice, he holds a PhD in Geography from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, a postgraduate degree from Presidency University, Kolkata, and a postgraduate diploma in Remote Sensing and GIS from Jadavpur University. His areas of specialization include urban and social geography, regional development and planning, remote sensing and GIS, spatial intelligence, and transport geography. He serves as an editor and reviewer for several leading international publishing houses, including Springer, Elsevier, Royal Society of Chemistry, CRC Press, AAP Press, Wiley Scrivener, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, and Frontiers.

Moharana Choudhury is an Indian researcher and environmentalist with over 14 years of experience in environmental research and professional services. He currently serves as a Research Coordinator in the Environmental Research and Management Division of Voice of Environment (a scientific and environmental research organization) in Guwahati, Assam, India. He has authored or edited more than 20 books with internationally reputed publishers. He has published over 50 research articles in national and international journals and proceedings, and contributed more than 70 book chapters. He has been working as an editor and reviewer for various prestigious international publishing houses worldwide, such as Elsevier, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), Springer, Frontiers, Wiley, CRC Press/Routledge group, Apple Academic Press, Cambridge Scholar Publishing, etc. His research interests encompass environmental research, waste management, wastewater treatment, environmental risk assessment, pollution control, plastic pollution, and climate change mitigation.

Klappentext

This book offers a comprehensive and forward looking examination of how global warming is reshaping the world’s river deltas, among the most vulnerable yet vital landscapes on Earth. It provides critical insights into the environmental, social, and political challenges faced by deltaic regions as intensifying climate pressures converge on low lying coastal areas.

The volume emphasizes the central importance of delta resilience for global climate adaptation and human security, particularly in the context of rising sea levels, extreme weather events, altered hydrological cycles, accelerated land loss, saltwater intrusion, biodiversity decline, and disruptions to food systems.

It covers key thematic areas including deltaic geomorphology, seälevel rise, salinization, land subsidence, food security, climate induced migration, urban infrastructure risk, and the role of traditional knowledge in adaptation. In depth case studies from major delta systems, such as the Mekong, Nile, Ganges Brahmaputra, and Mississippi, highlight both shared vulnerabilities and region specific dynamics. It also examines governance challenges, financing mechanisms, and international cooperation in managing transboundary river systems, while assessing nature based solutions, managed retreat, and emerging adaptation technologies. By bringing together expert perspectives and evidence based research, it fills critical knowledge gaps and offers a clear roadmap for policy and future action.

The volume serves both as a scholarly contribution and a practical guide for policymakers, planners, environmental NGOs, climate professionals, and graduate students concerned with the future of deltaic environments under climate change.

Inhalt

Deltaic Landscapes: Geomorphological Processes, Formation, and Long-Term Evolution.- Rising Seas, Sinking Lands: Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on Low-Lying Coastal Zones.- Harvests at Risk: Climate Change, Food Security, and Agricultural Collapse in Delta Regions.- The Mekong Delta in Peril: Salinity Intrusion and the Decline of Arable Land.- The Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta at the Frontline: Sea-Level Rise and Cyclone Vulnerability.- Adapting to Rising Risks: Managed Retreat, Green Infrastructure, and Nature-Based Solutions in Delta Regions.- Charting a Path Forward: A Roadmap for Research, Action, and Policy Integration in Delta Resilience.