Organised by

Department of Sociology, Royal School of Humanities and Social Sciences (RSHSS)
The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam

In collaboration with

North-Eastern Social Research Centre (NESRC), 2nd floor Jagriti, GMCH Road, Christian Basti, Guwahati, Assam

Climate change is one of the most critical problems and an environmental challenge the world faces today. This change is directly or indirectly caused by incessant human activity taking over environmental forces. It results in accelerated adverse impacts on the environment, highlights the potential threats and raises serious concerns about the sustainability of the ecosystem and humankind. As the natural composition of the environment is altered, the costs of the damage due to climate change have become inevitable. Changes such as droughts, floods and unpredictable weather leading at times to rise in temperatures and sea levels and desertification have made some places uninhabitable and have led to major rise in migration. Many a time such environmental impacts have also contributed to conflicts, crises, and turmoil. A proper discussion is therefore pertinent to understand the problems arising from climate change in order to minimise and solve the problem. This seminar aims to explore how communities perceive, experience, and respond to environmental shifts in Northeast India. It also seeks to understand how climate change affects livelihood patterns and how people cope with the environmental changes. Why is it important to study the local social dimensions, ethnic contexts, and communities’ distinctive culture? Why is an attitude shift crucial for awareness of the problem of climate change? The seminar aims to highlight a need of public education and social investment required for consciousness and preparedness for climate protection.

Climate Change in the Context of Northeast India

Northeast India is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. While frequent floods, soil erosion, landslides, biodiversity reduction, and loss of livelihood displace populations, the projection for the future is worse than this reality. Unusual heatwaves have become common in many areas of the region. Different segments of the population being forced to live through such unprecedented heat waves, results in long term impacts. With schools shut for children, and the occupational activities of adults disrupted, climate anxiety and frustration have become unavoidable. Other climate related concerns range from devastating floods affecting people across the Brahmaputra and Barak valley, health and sanitation challenges, loss of livestock, human-wildlife conflicts due to fragmented habitats, to crop failures. The causes of the crisis have to be identified. Driven by focus on economic growth, progress through infrastructure development is attaining momentum in the Northeast. However, such ideas of development have increased the environmental burden like forest clearance, riverbank erosion, pollution, and disruption of the livelihood of forest-dependent and riverine communities.
Amid such a crisis, people in power tend to take over the local voices and their agency for protesting. The indigenous and local communities across the region are frequently deprived of the gains of climate actions or development. It is part of the marginality and exclusion of the Northeast that the region continues to remain an outlier to mainstream India. While communities confront the environmental impacts through indigenous knowledge and adaptations, they are never free from the paradoxical situations. Does that mean that the people of the region should continue to face injustice and unequal representation? The climate impacts cannot be understood without factoring in the geographical, hydrological, and developmental setting of the Northeast. It is therefore, crucial to consider the many lives of the region and their creation of collective space amidst high-level uncertainty of climate projection.
It is, therefore, crucial to factor in the causes of climate change as well as possible solutions, not only technical but also those emanating from popular knowledge. The Northeast is today the main source of timber for forest-based industries in much of India. Deforestation in the catchment areas of the Brahmaputra and its subsidiaries has resulted in the level of the riverbed rising and the consequent frequent floods. Urbanisation and cutting of hills in the “young Himalayas” further intensify the problem. Erosion of land on the river banks adds to the problem. Ultimately it is the poor whose carbon footprints are the weakest in this crisis, suffer the most both economically and through the erosion of their social systems. Solutions have to be found to this crisis, not just technical but also based on socio-economic equity.

Conclusion

The seminar on climate change and livelihood in the Northeast India seeks to unearth climate histories and dynamics intertwined with the environment and livelihood. It aims to assemble together scholars, academicians, community leaders, and policy makers to discover how local institutions and community can act as agents of change, and resist climate change. As climate change-induced risks loom large, highlighting the experiences of the region form a significant step. Recognising the challenges faced and stressing the interconnection of human nature has to be catered to in present time. Solutions have to be found to the climate crisis.

Technical Sessions

Discussion at the seminar will be divided into six technical sessions. Researchers and scholars are invited to present papers at these sessions. The presentations will focus on the impacts on the environment, no doubt, but equally on socio-economic issues such as food security, health and a cohesive social organisation. Solutions too cannot be merely technical and physical environment based. Also those based on popular knowledge, have to be studied for a lasting solution. One can broadly divide the seminar into the following technical sessions.

Technical Session I: Anthropogenic causes of climate change: Environment and Society in Northeast India

What have been the major causes of climate change in the Northeast? What has caused more frequent floods, droughts, land erosion and landslides than in the past? How have human activities posed detrimental to the environment? What causes sequential exhaustion of the natural resources and the consequent environmental impacts as well as socio-economic consequences on the poor in particular? The poor with very few carbon footprints are often blamed for the environmental consequences of climate change. What is the role of the pattern of development, of the rich and of the poor?

Technical Session II: Environmental consciousness and remedial protocols

How has the world convened a way in the form of Treaties, Protocols, and Accords to counter environmental challenges? What remedial measures are taken up in the national and global level? What goals are being set to help people and non-human beings from the clutch of environmental damage? How to protect climate refugees who are displaced by effects of extreme weather conditions?

Technical Session III: Climate induced change and its impact on health

Health impacts are visible in air borne as well as water-borne diseases such as respiratory and others. What diseases are visible because of climate change and what solutions are being attempted in the healthcare system meant for the well off, in the government healthcare system and through the adaptation and resilience and traditional health practices?

Technical Session IV: Climate Change, Food Security, and sustainable agrarian practices

Crop loss caused by frequent floods, droughts, land erosion and desertification are among the causes that result in food shortages and nutritional deficiencies. What can be attempted as a solution to this? What role can indigenous food systems play in the promotion of sustainable land use? What does adopting climate-resilient agriculture mean?

Technical Session V: Community awareness and pedagogy

Exploring pedagogies for climate change is an imperative today. How does one help bring about awareness among various classes and decision-makers, of the causes and the need to search for sustainable alternatives? What type of educational programmes are feasible? What inter-disciplinary approaches, community engagement and other forms are viable?

Technical Session VI: Open session: Search for Solutions

Various technical solutions are suggested so also changes in the governance and coping mechanisms for climate change in Northeast India. The role of local governance institutions needs to be studied, so also the future of forest-dependent livelihoods, the role of development and conflicts in it and the solution to deforestation and unsustainable land use. One needs to go beyond official and technical solutions to what the farmers, the rural population and the traditional forest dwellers are practising. Can these practices contribute to a solution?

Administrative Matters

Abstract

1. 200-300 words long abstracts may be sent to: seminar.rgunesrc@gmail.com
2. Last day for abstract submission: 12 September, 2025
3. The decision on abstracts will be given on: 17 September, 2025
4. Full paper submission of selected abstracts: 31st October, 2025

Registration Details

1. Academicians, Faculty Members, and others - Rs. 2000/- + GST
2. Research Scholars - Rs. 1000/- + GST

(Note: The registration fee includes seminar kit, tea, and lunch. It will not cover travel expense of the participants. They are to bear the travel and accommodation arrangements on their own. However, simple accommodation, if required, will be provided to around 12 persons at Jagriti on a first come first served basis).

Mode of Presentation

The seminar will be conducted in the offline mode at the Seminar Hall, 3rd floor, Jagriti

Publication

Presentations in the seminar will be published in a book through a joint edited publication and subsequently through a process of academic review

Advisory Board

1. Prof. Alak Kumar Buragohain (Vice-Chancellor, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati)
2. Dr. Walter Fernandes, (Director, NESRC, Guwahati)
3. Prof. Surajit Mukhopadhyay (Dean, RSHSS, The Assam Royal Global University)
4. Dr. Samir Talati (Senior Research Associate, NESRC)

Convenor

1. Dr. Denim Deka

Co-Convenor

1. Dr. Sangeeta Das
2. Dr. Vizokhole Ltu

Co-ordinators

1. Dr. Tripti Das
2. Dr. Suhail Ahmed

Organising Member

1. Prajna Borah
2. Kadiguang Panmei
3. Adishree Borgohain
4. Lalzikpui Rajkhowa
5. Adam Timung