This study, to be conducted by the tribal affairs ministry, will be used for suggesting necessary skills and mechanism required to deal with rapid changes in the climate. The tribal affairs ministry decided to conduct the study after apprehending that tribals would be at the receiving end of the anticipated adverse effect of climate change. Specially because they are in a vulnerable state and ill equipped to adapt to the vagaries of climate change despite their traditional knowledge and coping mechanisms for normal changes in climate. A senior ministry official said there is every possibility that they face loss of livelihood, suffer from ill health, food insecurity and so on in the changing world scenario.
Therefore, a critical study of “climate change vis-a-vis tribals” is necessary to consolidate the existing knowledge of tribals to adapt to climate change and identify areas for project interventions, he said. The ministry has invited proposals from autonomous institutions and NGO for conducting the study. It will seek to identify bio-indicators which could help tribals recognise and anticipate climate change. A ministry official said it will also study traditional mechanisms and methodologies applied by the tribals to cope with climate change. The findings of the study will help planners to build on, as well as evaluate existing interventions, the official said.