Climate Change, Social Vulnerability, and Livelihood Transformations: A Sociological Analysis of Communities in the Thar Desert, Pakistan

Abstract

The present study analysed the effects of climate change on the social vulnerability and livelihood changes of communities in the Thar Desert, Pakistan. Using a qualitative research approach, the study examined the impact of recurrent droughts, water scarcity, and environmental degradation on the socio-economic circumstances and livelihoods of the local people. Focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews (IDI) were conducted with members of the community, including farmers, pastoralists, and women, as well as key informants who are knowledgeable about the environmental and social dynamics in their community. The results indicated that climate change had resulted in agricultural productivity, livestock loss, and reliance on migration and non-formal employment. These changes increased social vulnerability, especially for the more disadvantaged segments of society, due to limited access to resources, low institutional capacity, and already existing socio-economic disparities, which reduced adaptive capacity. The study also revealed a distinct gender difference, that the impacts on women were severe, and that they were particularly burdened with coping with household survival during scarcity. In the face of such difficulties, communities showed adaptive strategies that were based on their local knowledge and social networks. In Conclusion, the study found that climate change was not just an environmental problem but also a very social problem, which requires multi-sectoral, community-based, and socially participatory approaches to build resilience in the Thar desert.