CLIMATE CHANGE, PERCEPTION, AND LIVELIHOOD ADAPTATION IN DARJEELING DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL: A SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS

Author Name: 1. Suvan Tasho Lepcha

Volume/Issue: 06/02

Country: India

DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: https://doi-ds.org/doilink/07.2025-13894655/UIJIR

Affiliation:

1. Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Bijoy Krisna Girl’s College, Howrah, India..

ABSTRACT

The Darjeeling district, located in West Bengal, India's Lesser Himalaya, is threatened by extreme climate fluctuation that affects its traditional means of subsistence farming, tea growing, and tourism. This article examines past climate patterns, local views of climate change, and current adaptation methods using only secondary data sources, such as government action plans, published vulnerability assessments, meteorological records, and peer-reviewed studies. The findings show that during the past century, there has been a notable increase in mean temperature and variability in monsoonal rainfall. Measures like rooftop rainwater harvesting and livelihood diversification are more easily adopted by occupational groups who are more cognisant of climate change. After talking about the connection between perception and adaptive ability, we offer policy proposals that focus on community-driven resource management, technological subsidies, and focused awareness campaigns to increase resilience.

Key words: Climate Trends, Perception Index, Adaptation Strategies, Livelihood Vulnerability Index, Rainwater Harvesting.