Changing monsoon patterns, snow and glacial melt, its impacts and adaptation options in northern India: setting the stage

Abstract

To set the stage of this special issue this paper gives a short introduction to the sensitivity to climate change of the main bio-physical processes in the Hindukush-Karakoram-Himalayas. It also describes the socio-economic setting of the Ganges basin in northern India as the main focal point of the impact and adaptation studies in this special issue.

Keywords: Adaptation; Climate change; Himalayas.