Costanza Rampini (Environmental Studies) published an article “The ‘Double-Exposure’ of Riverine Communities in Northeast India to Dams and Climate Change”.
Northeast India is especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change on the flows of the Brahmaputra river. At the same time, aggressive hydropower development efforts along the Brahmaputra are modifying its flows and the region’s riparian landscapes. Using a case study, this paper assesses the vulnerability of riverine communities in Northeast India to climate change impacts on the Brahmaputra River, in the context of dam-building efforts. Data from key informant interviews with local officials, and semi-structured interviews with households downstream of the Ranganadi Hydroelectric Project is used to argue that hydropower development enhances local communities’ vulnerability to variations in river flows. Results show that, by focusing on hydroelectricity generation over flood control and environmental flows, dams along the Brahmaputra are worsening floods, reducing winter season flows, and increasing overall flow variability, hence compounding the impacts of climate change on river flows. This research helps us understand how interacting stressors are changing the riparian landscapes of Northeast India with important implications for local communities and the future of the region.