Socio-Ecological Resilience of Peri-Urban Coastal Areas. Climate Change and its impact on Urban Peripheries of Mumbai

This study provides new insights on the ground realities of the peri-urban coastal settlements and integrates them within the academic course developments for higher education in India. Coastal areas face multiple risks related to the climate change crisis and allied bio-geo-climatic variabilities, affecting a large population. The vulnerability of coastal areas to climate change is an issue that has gained attention globally. Peri-urban areas in the global South have peculiarities and challenges that need to be addressed while dealing with issues of ensuring resilience. The peri-urban communities depend on the environmental resources for their sustenance which are undergoing rapid transformations in the recent spate of urban sprawl. Through a case study approach and a detailed community survey, the study approaches the socio-ecological resilience of three peri-urban waterfront communities- each with a distinct relation with the water’s edge and their vulnerable habitats north of the city Mumbai, along the River Ulhas. The study highlights the importance of expanding the understanding of socio-ecological resilience to include ‘everyday resilience’ to address the vulnerabilities faced by the coastal peri-urban communities. The study also highlights the consequences of rampant disregard for the environment in the newer developments in the peri-urban areas of the global South cities.