Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal

Understanding Human–Environment Interactions Using Multiple Dimensions

Jagdish Krishnaswamy — 2024-07-05

The Forest Rights Act and the 2023 Amendment to the Forest Conservation Act

Rajesh Ramakrishnan — 2024-07-05

The 2023 Amendment to the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) has largely been criticised for the loss of forest cover it will cause through diversion of forest land for infrastructure, public utility, and defence requirements. The Amendment makes no reference to the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and its critiques point only to its undermining of the latter. A closer examination of the Amendment from the perspective of the FRA suggests that the Act can not only continue to be used to counter the diversion of forest land, but also that popular mobilisation around it may be the only way to protect both forests and forest-dwellers.

Coexistence of Wild Fauna in the City

Ajay Immanuel Gonji — 2024-07-05

Rapid urbanization across the world has drawn attention to the unique state of urban woodlands. New Delhi is one of the world’s most populous cities; yet, it harbours several woodlands that support a variety of wildlife. The persistence of mesopredators like the golden jackal (Canis aureus Linn.) in the city is intriguing and provides an opportunity to explore coexistence in an urban context. Using a combination of camera trapping and occupancy modelling, our study aims to understand the habitat use, distribution, and urban adaptations of the jackal in Delhi’s Central Ridge Reserve Forest. Preliminary analysis shows extensive habitat use and sophisticated adaptations including adjustments in activity patterns in response to human activity and competition from feral dogs. The study also demonstrated behavioural adaptations, particularly in terms of foraging, denning, and coexistence with other species, which enable these urban populations of golden jackals to persist in the city. The study indicates the need for newer frameworks for conservation of synanthropic wild fauna that persist in calorie-rich urban environments.

Ecology of Grasslands of Central Nicobar

Shashank Bhardwaj — 2024-07-05

The tropical grasslands of the Central Nicobar Islands have long been perceived as anthropogenic formations, which has influenced their conservation and management in the region. Despite their ecological and cultural significance, these grasslands have received limited scholarly attention, rendering them vulnerable to alternative land uses and conversion. This study aims to address these knowledge gaps through an extensive vegetation survey, soil analysis, and ethnographic research. The outcomes of the vegetation survey and soil analysis reveal that these grasslands are the result of serpentine soil formations, managed by Nicobari communities by fire. The ethnographic research reveals the cultural importance of the grassland commons and its governance through the tuhet system. Further, the study shows that the access regimes have undergone a rapid transformation during post-tsunami resettlement, endangering local instuitions and the sustainability of the grassland commons of the Nicobars.

Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and their Adaptation in a semi-Arid Region in India

Pradeep Mehta — 2024-07-05

Climate change is emerging as a significant threat to farmers in semi-arid rural areas in India, where agricultural livelihoods are primarily dependent on rainfall. The effect of climate change on farmers’ social and economic well-being depends not only on their awareness of shifting climatic patterns but also on their responses to such changes. This study aims to examine farmers’ perceptions of climate change, analyse their responses to it, and identify factors contributing to farmers’ choice of anticipatory or reactive adaptation strategies. It was conducted in Nuh district in Haryana, a semi-arid region. The study comprised a primary survey of 384 farmers, with the sample size determined using probabilistic sampling method. It reveals that farmers have observed long-term changes in climatic factors (temperature and rainfall) and have adopted strategies to deal with them. In Nuh, the current institutional policy and knowledge mechanisms primarily focus on addressing short-term climate risks. As a result, farmers’ adaptive strategies tend to be reactive in nature, primarily focused on mitigating immediate losses in agricultural productivity. There is a critical need to address the differential vulnerabilities of farming communities and build their capacity to absorb risks through institutional and technological interventions.

Reordering Nature

Anju O.M. Toppo — 2024-07-05

The Vulnerability and Transformation of Indonesian Peatlands: Navigating Social-Ecological Tipping Points for Resilient Futures

Mohammad Yunus — 2024-07-05

This book provides a holistic examination of the ecological transformation of Indonesian peat swamp forests, analyzing drivers of degradation while also identifying signs of adaptation and renewal. Across 11 chapters, the volume details complex feedbacks enabling wholesale drainage, burning, and conversion to plantations since the 1980s within landscapes relatively undisturbed historically. Specific relationships between industrial timber expansion, introduced drainage canals, recurrent fires, and unclear land tenure arrangements have driven deforestation across Riau province. Resulting declines in avian biodiversity and mammal populations signal potentially irrecoverable ecosystem disruption. At the same time, the book highlights nuance, overturning assumptions about termites as purely destructive while mapping diverse local timber networks supplying development needs. Crucially, the authors spotlight early adaptation, from new national restoration commitments to on-the-ground initiatives blocking canals, raising water tables, reestablishing native vegetation, and supporting community livelihoods. While noting implementation lags, the book analyzes transition pathways toward integrated models balancing rewetting, revegetation, and participatory planning. By bridging ecological change, environmental governance, and social dynamics across scales, the volume constructs cautious narratives of systemic decline interwoven with resilient processes of renewal, offering guidance for adaptation.

Legacy Waste Remediation in Karnataka

Kiran D.A. — 2024-07-05

Meal-less Mornings for School-going Children

Ranjoy Gupta — 2024-07-05

N.A.

The Implicit Discount Rate, Information, and Investment in Energy-Efficient Appliances

Monalisa Singh — 2024-07-05

The implicit discount rate (IDR) is a decisive factor in household investment decisions, and its modification could promote investment in energy-saving products. However, the discussion on households’ IDR in developing countries is limited. In this regard, the current study aims to provide a detailed review of the IDR across various investment decisions, factors affecting its value, and policy instruments that can influence its value. The study finds that the IDR value tends to be considerably higher than market interest rates. Information and behavioural failures lead to a high IDR and under-investment in energy efficiency, which may be addressed through energy labels. However, the effectiveness of energy labels in addressing barriers and making energy-efficiency information visible to households depends on their visual presentation, time frame (annual or lifetime), units of measurement (physical or monetary), and the content of the information. The review has relevance for policymaking aimed at increasing the adoption of energy-efficient options that reduce household carbon footprints and, in turn, contribute towards realizing the net-zero emissions target.