Global Environmental Changes in South Asia: A Regional Perspective

For the first time, the 'South Asian Rapid Assessment (SA RAP)' programme initiated by the 'Global Change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training (START)' and supported by the 'Monsoon Asia Integrated Regional Studies (MAIRS)' programme is synthesizing the scientific understanding generated so far by the global change research studies carried out in and for South Asian region in a holistic manner. The entire activities of this book volume preparation have been facilitated by the South Asian START Regional Centre (SAS RC) located at the National Physical Laboratory under the leadership of its erstwhile director, (Late) Dr. A.P. Mitra.The SA RAP synthesis efforts include all the components of physical and human dimensions of changes in Earth systems (viz. climate, ecosystem, atmosphere, resources and sustainable development etc.) for which the scientific understanding have so far been generated in the South Asian region. The synthesis has been collated in the form of different chapters. Each of these chapters has been contributed by groups of regional researchers & sector experts. The efforts of each group of authors for each chapter have been coordinated by respective lead authors. Each of the chapters not only captures the detailed understanding of the respective global change issues generated for the South Asian region but also identifies the research and knowledge gaps encountered during the regional synthesis.