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This paper provides a detailed assessment of the behavior of nuclear command-and-control systems during peace, crisis and war. It highlights, in particular, the tensions and trade-offs that emerge once systems move away from peacetime configurations. The paper argues that there are significant parallels with the Cold War experience, but that particular complexities in South Asia raise real concerns about the risks of nuclear escalation and war. The paper concludes by asking whether the United States could not do more to help India and Pakistan manage their nuclear command-and-control systems more effectively, to help the stabilization of nuclear South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a collection of articles on strategic stability in South Asia that resulted from the launch conference of the South Asian Strategic Stability Unit, hosted by the Department of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford on 7–8 October 2004. The paper provides a brief conceptual comment on the elements of strategic stability, and introduces the different approaches that are available to promote and enhance strategic stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science and technology is being practiced today in a collaborative manner with participation of scientists from different disciplines, institutions and countries. To combat the problems of pollution, environment, energy, biodiversity, health, nutrition, etc., many countries in the world, particularly the developing countries, need the cooperation and support of other countries. Thus, collaboration in S&T is fast emerging as the keyword in the scientific world. Most South Asian countries and India in particular had recognized the importance of international scientific collaboration quite early and consider it as an important instrument for their development of S&T. As a result, these countries have signed a number of collaboration agreements on S&T among themselves. In this paper, a study on the outputs of S&T collaborations among South Asian countries is presented through the analysis of co-authored research papers published during the period 1992-1999 in the journals covered by the Science Citation Index. The study analyzes these collaborations from various angles, viz., nature, S&T areas, institutions involved and their impact on individual fields. It has been observed that out of the five South Asian countries -- India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal -- India had comparatively stronger collaborative linkages with all other South Asian countries. The collaborations among Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, however, are very small. India's linkages with Bangladesh cover the major broad areas in S&T, and the co-authored papers resulting out of these collaborations had high values of impact factor. India's collaboration with other fellow South Asian countries had been quiet narrow and restricted to few subject areas. Need for further cooperation is highlighted in newly emerging areas of S&T. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the continuing relevance of the British Association of South Asian Studies (BASAS) in maintaining an open field of research, teaching and enquiry in relation to South Asia, despite the growing push towards ‘policy-relevant’ themes' in researching funding. It then introduces the papers in this special issue drawn from the 2004 Annual Conference of BASAS. The underlying thread is an exploration of the everyday power relations, represented in all spheres of life, be it the media, resource control, religion or livelihood strategies, shaping people's identities and locating them within social hierarchies, forming as a consequence the basis of the process of development and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the roots of contemporary village religion. The eclectic nature and interaction of both rural and orthodox Puranic Hinduism have made any attempt to dissect the traditions difficult. The question arises as to which had the greatest impact, Puranic Hinduism or the non-Vedic cults, on the development of village religion. To answer this, this article will first establish the principal features of village Hinduism. Because of the constraints imposed by a short paper it will focus specifically on the ritual worship of the goddess in her various forms, through the development of an associated iconography. It will also explore historical continuity, through a study of texts, archaeological materials and evidence from ethno-archaeology. The paper concludes that rural religion represents an amalgam of local superstitions, non-Vedic cultic practice and orthodox Puranic Hinduism, which is itself an assimilation of many of these elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy on care in the community was founded on the premise that the care of frail elderly people with disabilities would be a joint responsibility for health and social care professionals, and family carers, supported by people within their social networks. The policy assumes that such social networks are common features of all communities in contemporary Britain, containing a reserve of people who can be called upon to provide support to carers. The present paper draws on material gathered for a qualitative study of the experiences carers in South Asian communities to examine the quality and quantity of informal support that was available in different types of households. Male and female carers were selected from the Punjabi Sikh, Gujarati Hindu, and Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities. A total of 105 carers participated in the project. Participants were caring for people in all age groups with physical and/or mental distress, and in some cases, with multiple and complex impairments. The analysis of carers’ accounts suggested that, for a variety of reasons, the main carer, irrespective of gender, had limited support both in nuclear and extended households. In addition, societal attitudes towards disability and the fear of obligation prevented the seeking and accepting of help from wider social networks. The paper concludes that the evidence does not support the assumption about extended families, and their willingness and ability to support carers. Many issues highlighted in this paper have far-reaching implications for policy makers in many countries in the West where South Asian people have made their homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are considered to be the gold standard in evaluating medical interventions; however, people from ethnic minorities are frequently under-represented in such studies. The present paper addresses a previously neglected debate about the tensions which inform clinical trial participation amongst people from ethnic minorities, in particular, South Asians, the largest ethnic minority group in the UK. In a narrative review of the available literature, based mainly on US studies, the present authors aim to make sense of the issues around under-representation by providing a theoretical reconciliation. In addition, they identify a number of potential barriers to ethnic minority participation in clinical trials. In so doing, the authors recognise that the recent history of eugenic racism, and more general views on clinical trials as a form of experimentation, means that clinical trial participation among people from ethnic minorities becomes more problematic. Lack of participation and the importance of representational sampling are also considered, and the authors argue that health professionals need to be better informed about the issues. The paper concludes by offering a number of strategies for improving ethnic minority accrual rates in clinical trials, together with priorities for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present an interpretation of the accounts of depression provided by women from South Asian communities. The paper presents the findings from a qualitative study, conducted in the UK, which explored women from South Asian communities and their experiences of depression. It is argued here, through examples of women's accounts of their experiences, that depression is 'embodied', that is, grounded in the materiality of the body which is also immersed in subjective experiences and in the social context of women's lives.Qualitative data were collected from four focus groups and ten individual interviews with women. The analysis involved a discursive approach.Analysis revealed how women made strategic choices in how they presented their symptoms as legitimate and for gaining access to what they perceived to be appropriate healthcare. This is not to argue that this is a culturally specific phenomenon but one which is a feature of all healthcare negotiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the result of sewage pollution monitoring conducted in South and Southeast Asia during 1998–2003 using linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) as molecular tracers of sewage contamination. Eighty-nine water samples collected from Malaysia, Vietnam, and Japan (Tokyo), and 161 surface sediment samples collected from Tokyo, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and India were analyzed for alkylbenzenes. The concentration range of ∑LABs in river water particles in Southeast Asia (<0.005–0.913 μg/L) was comparable to or higher than those found in Tokyo (<0.005–0.638 μg/L). I/E ratios (a ratio of internal to external isomers of LABs) in tropical Asian waters were close to the value of LABs in raw sewage (∼1) and much lower than those in secondary effluents (3–5). This suggests that untreated or inadequately treated sewage is discharged into the water. ∑LABs concentrations in sediments from South and Southeast Asia ranged from <0.002–42.6 μg/g-dry with the highest concentration occurring at several populous cities. Low I/E ratios of the sediments with high ∑LABs concentrations suggest a heavy load of untreated sewage. Clearly in view of the current data and evidence of the implications of sewage pollution, this paper highlights the necessity of the continuation of water treatment system improvement in tropical Asia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To review studies addressing the question of whether there are social inequalities in either the offer or the uptake of prenatal testing in the UK. Systematic review of studies assessing the offer or uptake of prenatal screening or diagnosis according to social crass or ethnic origin. Electronic databases were searched using a strategy developed for a review of inequalities in access to maternity care supplemented with terms specific to prenatal testing. Further papers were identified from reference lists, citation searches and key organizations. From over 600 identified papers, 41 were potentially relevant. Twenty met the inclusion criteria. The studies included covered screening and/or diagnosis for Down's syndrome, neural tube defects, haemoglobin disorders and HIV. Many studies were limited by small numbers or poor reporting of data and analysis. Six studies reported data on prenatal testing according to women's social class or educational level. None found any significant social inequalities in testing. Some studies suggested that women of South Asian origin might be up to 70% less likely to receive prenatal testing for haemoglobin disorders and Down's syndrome than White women. A small number of studies suggested that South Asian women might be less likely to be offered testing. This review provides some evidence of ethnic inequalities in access to prenatal testing. Further research is required to improve our understanding of why testing may not be offered, the reasons for failure to take up testing when offered, and to identify whether there are other social inequalities in access to prenatal testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnicity and ethnic conflict have dominated much of the discourse in contemporary politics, as ethnic resurgence has been on the rise the world over in both modernising and developed societies. Ethnic conflict can be studied in terms of a number of variables to explain the processes and dynamics of a particular ethnic movement. This paper seeks to study the Baluch movement in Pakistan mainly in terms of three variables: the nature and pattern of the movement, the role of the state, and the external dynamics, all of which singly and collectively impacted on the rise and decline of the movement. The paper examines the socio-economic basis for the growth of separatist sentiments among the Baluch and argues that it was the weak nature and essentially fragmented strategies of the movement, the response and policies pursued by the central leadership and the failure of the Baluch to elicit any meaningful external support that contributed to the gradual decline of the movement. The time frame under consideration here is from 1971, when the movement was on its rise, until 1981, when the movement ceased to be an issue in the Pakistani polity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces 'Displacement', a special themed issue of Contemporary South Asia with contributors and a guest editor who are all members of the British Association for South Asian Studies (BASAS). The paper outlines the use of the notion of displacement as a way of understanding aspects of the politics of South Asia and its Diaspora. Displacement is presented as both an empirical and conceptual category that may be used to describe the movement of peoples and geographies, as well as analytical vocabularies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The irrigation sector is facing a serious maintenance crisis. Hydraulic infrastructure in many irrigation schemes, especially in South Asia, much of it constructed in the 1960's and 1970's, is deteriorating rapidly. The usual reaction to the neglect of maintenance has been a pattern of ``build-neglect-rebuild'' which, in the wake of widespread budgetary constraints, cannot be an option for the future. The paper starts with the observation of a ``maintenance paradox'': while there is general agreement amongst irrigation experts, that deferred maintenance is one of the most important determinants of performance deficits in irrigation, there is a relative lack of attention to the maintenance problem by government officials, irrigation agency staff, farmers and international development agencies. Going beyond the common explanation of ``lack of funds'' and the related singular focus on maintenance financing, the paper perceives the low interest in maintenance as a multi-facetted incentive problem effecting most of the actors involved in maintenance provision. When maintenance is defined as a component of infrastructure service provision, the doors open to new insights on motivation and coordination problems in maintenance provision. Drawing on key concepts of the MAINTAIN project, the authors use such insights to put forward essential institutional requirements and basic strategies that may lead the way to incentive creation for maintenance and thus help overcome the maintenance paradox in the irrigation sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses theoretical and applied concerns that arise in attempts to design and produce South Asian cyberfeminist e-spaces. Such attempts must inevitably negotiate diasporic and nationalist gender, class and caste identity formations, as well as online corporate and academic cultures situated in an increasingly global economy. In addition, they must also negotiate liberal cyberfeminist celebrations of technology as empowering to all women. The first part of this paper therefore discusses available literature in relation to South Asians and information technology, South Asians in digital diaspora, and the third world and cyberfeminism with the intention of mapping out theoretical paths leading to connections between theoretical examinations of South Asians in cyberspace and applied practices of designing and building online spaces. The second part of this paper discusses some issues that arise in practical attempts at building South Asian cyberfeminist webs, based on my experience working on such projects for the past eight years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the current global trends such as polarization of social groups and intensified poverty, there is a serious risk that gender gaps in access to shelter widen among the poor to the detriment of women's social, economic, and personal well-being. Paradoxically, these conditions also provide certain opportunities for women, including their greater community-based mobilization and leadership role. This paper examines these risks and the opportunities they bear upon and stresses the need for intervention in four areas of rights, access, security, and empowerment. The paper draws on a participatory research project carried out by the United Nations Gender and Habitat program in 1992 to 1999 in low-income settlements of Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the power topography of international private capital movements with specific reference to FDI and portfolio equity flows. A number of important development conclusions emerge from the paper. There exists little relationship between incomes and levels of FDI participation, although developed and resource-endowed economies have received greater inflows. While greater liberalization from the mid-1980s has stimulated the explosive growth of portfolio equity capital flows, it has also exposed developing economies to serious systemic risks. Contrary to neoliberal arguments, developing economies that have managed to utilize FDI effectively and to prevent systemic volatility generated from portfolio capital movements from seriously destabilizing them, have generally relied on effective governments. Inter-country economic development has become increasingly unequal in the period 1980-97. While the material conditions of the majority of developing economies have improved, those located in Africa and South Asia in particular have remained seriously disadvantaged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased agricultural production through both intensification and extensification is a major driver of the current biodiversity crisis. As a response, two contrasting approaches have been advocated: 'land sparing', which minimizes demand for farmland by increasing yield, and 'land sharing', which boosts densities of wild populations on farmland but decreases agricultural yields. While these approaches have been useful in drawing attention to the impact of meeting the growing global demand for agricultural products on biodiversity, they have been driven mainly by conservation ecologists, and have often overlooked important issues related to farming. As agricultural scientists with practical experience in developing, testing and scaling alternative forms of agriculture in some of the most biodiversity-rich areas of Latin America, Eastern and Southern Africa and South Asia, we are pointing in this paper at what we see as being two major limitations of the land sparing/sharing framework: (1) the reliance on yield-density relationships that focus on trade-offs and overlook synergies between agriculture and biodiversity, and (2) the overemphasis on crop yield, neglecting other metrics of agricultural performance which may be more important to local farmers, and more strongly associated with positive biodiversity outcomes. It is our hope that this paper will stimulate other agricultural scientists to contribute to the land sparing/sharing framework, in order to develop together with conservation ecologists viable solutions for both improved agricultural production and biodiversity conservation. • Increased agricultural production is a major cause of the global biodiversity crisis. • Agricultural scientists must contribute to the land sparing/sharing (LSS) framework. • LSS studies often overlook synergies between agriculture and biodiversity • LSS studies often neglect metrics of agricultural performance other than crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically examines the literature on the grid-offgrid debate and discusses the role of and the relationship between different electricity access options through a synthesis and critical reflection. This paper finds that models using greater resolution and capturing low voltage distribution infrastructure appear to recommend decentralised electricity solutions, whereas central grid extension emerges as the preferred outcome of more aggregated analysis, concentrated population clusters and for higher demand scenarios. However, model results are seriously influenced by assumptions, data limitations, technology choice options, and model flexibility. Exclusion of cost of generation for grid systems, lack of village level information, inherent bias towards scale and type of technology, and absence of social equity considerations in the analysis remain major weaknesses of the existing models. Universal electrification requires a strong leadership and an enabling environment. An appropriate organizational set-up, a robust regulatory framework with reporting and evaluation oversight and a more inclusive approach to promote alternative options are vital ingredients. Power sector decarbonization pathways may affect electrification choices but our understanding is limited or lacking. Further work is required to develop a programmatic approach to delivery and more affordable and fairer outcome for all. • The paper presents the up-to-date review of the debate on grid and off-grid electrification. • We find a strong leadership and an enabling environment is essential for universal electrification by the year 2030. • Appropriate organizational set-up, robust regulatory framework and shift from grid-centric focus to a more inclusive approach to promote alternative options is equally important. • Important to develop a programmatic approach to delivery and more affordable and fairer outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We use a two-step procedure to assess the effect of urban size on housing deprivation. • We create a measure of housing deprivation based on individual characteristics. • We address urban size by means of high-resolution satellite imagery of population density. • In general, urban size is negatively related to housing deprivation levels in South Asia, but heterogeneity is observed across countries. • In India, the largest country, the association between urban size and housing deprivation is positive but increasing at a decreasing rate. Housing is a basic human need; however, in recent decades slums have become the face of urbanization in developing economies. Urbanization drives economic growth, playing an important role in providing adequate housing and reducing poverty. In this paper, we investigate the association between housing deprivation and the urban size at a regional level for South Asian countries in the year 2015. We use two main sources of data. The first is the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), which provide microdata that allows us to build housing deprivation indexes based on the material characteristics of households and housing assets. The second source is satellite imagery, used to define urban cores and measure the urban size of each region. Then, we use a two-step procedure to identify the relationship between the urban size and housing deprivation. Our results indicate that age and higher levels of education (of the head of household) are negatively associated with our housing deprivation indexes in South Asian households. Furthermore, a greater number of children in South Asian households is related to higher levels of housing deprivation. In the second step, we show that there is a significant negative association between material housing deprivation and the urban size at a regional level for our full sample and for the majority of countries taken individually. An important exception is India, where an inverted-U-shaped relationship between deprivation and urban size is found. This result is robust even when an IV approach is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Known as the "third pole" and "water tower of Asia", the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is the home to the largest number of glaciers in the mid-latitudes and one of the most sensitive areas to global climate change due to its special geographical location and powerful thermodynamic effects. In recent years, the TP has been affected by exogenous pollutants and the concentrations of some pollutants have shown an increasing trend, especially light-absorbing aerosols (LAAs), when ice core records, ground- and aircraft-based field campaigns and satellite technology enabled synthesized monitoring. The enhanced warming of the vast majority of regions in TP, together with Arctic warming, and snow/ice decline, represents credible evidence of anthropogenic climate change. This paper provides a comprehensive review of studies on the sources, characteristics and climate impacts of LAAs over the TP. Adjacent to the two major emission sources of LAAs in East Asia and South Asia, the unique geographical location and climatic characteristics of the TP make it possible for TP LAAs to cause atmospheric warming and accelerated glacier melting, affecting the hydrological cycle in South Asia, East Asia and even the Northern Hemisphere, thus causing a series of serious environmental and social problems. LAAs, such as black carbon and dust, can strongly absorb solar radiation and and have significantly influence on climate change. Moreover, light-absorbing impurities (LAIs) on snow/ice can reduce the snow/ice albedo and further accelerate the snow/ice melting. Both LAAs and LAIs over the TP can induce thermodynamic feedback processes, cause significant warming of the TP and then lead to a strengthening of the early monsoon and affect the subsequent evolution of the monsoon. Many mechanisms have been proposed forth regarding how TP LAAs modulate the phase, intensity, and amplitude of the Asian climate system. A wide range of theoretical, observational, and modeling findings on TP LAAs and their climate impacts are synthesized, in which dust aerosols from drylands and black carbon from biomass burning are considered leading components. By coupling an integrated approach with state-of-the-art modeling, high temporal and fine spatial resolution remote sensing observations with increasing sampling over the TP will provide further insights into TP aerosols. • Light-absorbing aerosols warm the Tibetan Plateau, further influence climate system • The external input of light-absorbing aerosols over the Tibetan Plateau is dominant • Climate effects of light-absorbing aerosols or impurities in snow is divergent [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly half of the malnourished population of the world lives in South Asia, and agriculture is the main source of livelihood of the people in this region. Many review exercises have analysed the available evidences to understand the ways in which agriculture can be leveraged to enhance nutritional status; however, very few of them have employed a systematic approach ensuring internal and external validity. The present paper seeks to fill this gap for strengthening the policy recommendations. It demonstrates an association between agricultural interventions and nutritional outcomes; and it shows that the production of targeted nutrition-rich crops, homestead gardens, and diversification of the agricultural production system towards fruits and vegetables and aquaculture can potentially improve nutrient intake and nutritional outcomes. The empowerment of women and nutrition knowledge play a crucial role in establishing linkage between agriculture and nutritional outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the relationship between urbanization, CO2 emissions and energy consumption in South Asia for the period of 1983 to 2013, using Panel Co-integration and Granger causality approach. A long-run relationship exists between CO2, energy consumption and urbanization. The empirics also indicate that energy consumption and economic growth are playing a significant role in degrading the environment while trade is improving its quality. Bidirectional causality exists between CO2 and energy, and between urbanization and CO2 emissions both in the short run and long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on British Council commissioned research in response to concerns about women's absence from senior leadership positions in higher education in South Asia. The study sought existing knowledge from literature, policies, and available statistics and collected original interview data from 30 academics in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. A central finding was that gender is not a category of analysis in higher education policy, research or statistical data in the region. Our interview data suggest that leadership was frequently not an object of desire for women. Being associated with particular types of masculinities, leadership often carried a heavy affective load for those women who transgressed patriarchal socio-cultural norms and disrupted the symbolic order of women being led by men. Leadership was frequently perceived and experienced by women in terms of navigating a range of ugly feelings and toxicities that depleted aspirations, well-being and opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper evaluates the performance of 29 state-of-art CMIP5-coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation models (AOGCM) in their representation of regional characteristics of monsoon simulation over South Asia. The AOGCMs, despite their relatively coarse resolution, have shown some reasonable skill in simulating the mean monsoon and precipitation variability over the South Asian monsoon region. However, considerable biases do exist with reference to the observed precipitation and also inter-model differences. The monsoon rainfall and surface flux bias with respect to the observations from the historical run for the period nominally from 1850 to 2005 are discussed in detail. Our results show that the coupled model simulations over South Asia exhibit large uncertainties from one model to the other. The analysis clearly brings out the presence of large systematic biases in coupled simulation of boreal summer precipitation, evaporation, and sea surface temperature (SST) in the Indian Ocean, often exceeding 50 % of the climatological values. Many of the biases are common to many models. Overall, the coupled models need further improvement in realistically portraying boreal summer monsoon over the South Asian monsoon region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past two centuries, the world has witnessed a remarkable increase in the atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gases (GHGs), namely carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), as a result of human activities after 1750 (preindustrial era). During 1750 the concentrations for these gases were 280 ppm, 715 ppb, and 270 ppb, respectively which increased to 379 ppm, 1774 ppb, and 319 ppb, respectively in 2005. It showed an increase of 0.23, 0.96, and 0.12% annually. The same has further increased to 385 ppm, 1797 ppb, and 322 ppb, respectively in 2008 representing 1.6, 1.2, and 0.9% increase, respectively from 2005 levels at an annual increase of 0.53, 0.43, and 0.31%, annually. Increase in atmospheric CO2 promotes growth and productivity of plants with C3 photosynthetic pathway but the increase in temperature, on the other hand, can reduce crop duration, increase crop respiration rates, affect the survival and distribution of pest populations, and may hasten nutrient mineralization in soils, decrease fertilizer-use efficiency, and increase evapotranspiration. The water resources which are already scarce may come under enhanced stress. Thus, the impact of climate change is likely to have a significant influence on agriculture and eventually on the food security and livelihoods of large sections of the urban and rural populations globally. The developing countries, particularly in South Asia and Latin America, with diverse agroclimatic regions, challenging geographies, growing economies, diverse agricultural production systems, and farm typologies are more vulnerable to the effect of climate change due to heavy dependence on agriculture for livelihood. These regions also are demonstrating poor coping mechanisms to adapt to these challenges, and as a result there is evidence of negative impacts on productivity of wheat, rice, and other crops to varying extent depending on agroecologies. Upscaling of modern technologies such as conservation and climate smart agriculture, judicious utilization of available water for agriculture through microirrigation and water saving technologies, developing multiple stress-tolerant crop cultivars and biotypes through biotechnological tools, restoration of degraded soils and waters, promoting carbon sequestration through alternate production technologies and land use, and conservation of biodiversity must be promoted at regional and country level to ensure durable food and nutritional security. Reliable early warning system of environmental changes, their spatial and temporal magnitude, coupled with policies to support the diffusion of this information, can help interpret these forecasts in terms of their agronomic and economic implications for the benefit of farmers and to provide agriculture-dependent industries and policymakers with more informed options to support farmers. These countries need to formulate both short-term and long-term policies for improvement, sustenance, and protection of natural resources. There is an urgent need for capacity building through international collaboration in order to develop databases and analysis systems for efficient weather forecasting as well as preparing contingency plans for vulnerable areas. The objectives of this paper are to summarize the available information on adaptation strategies and the mitigation options for climate change to meet the food security in South Asia and Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review focuses on previous work on honey pollen analysis (melissopalynology) to determine the bee floras of South Asian honeys. After a brief historical introduction on melissopalynology, the abundance and distribution of pollen and the nectar source for bees of specific regions are identified. With the help of 124 research papers referenced, a list of the bee flora of South Asia has been compiled, representing 750 plants serving as the pollen sources. Knowledge of bee floras of this region will prove to be significant for beekeepers during nomadic beekeeping, by increasing pollination and honey production and, hence, improving the apiculture industry of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT It has been observed (Nihalani et al. 1979; Yadurajan 2001) that Indian English differs from other varieties of English in that it allows 'intrusive as' in complex-transitive constructions, especially with the verbs call, name and term. However, the construction is not restricted to Indian English, but represents a pan-South Asian feature that is gaining ground in the written language across South Asian varieties of English. This paper will provide a corpus-based analysis of the forms, functions and distribution of 'intrusive as'-constructions in South Asian Englishes, and consider possible motivations for this innovation in verb complementation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malaria is one of the deadliest mosquito-borne diseases in the world. More than 80% of the total populations are at risk of malaria in the 22 countries in Asia and the Pacific. South Asia alone is home to an estimated 1.4 billion people at risk of contracting malaria. Despite the remarkable progress in reducing the burden of malaria, evidence of the disease based on knowledge of the social and cultural contexts from a South Asian perspective is limited. Our objective was to understand the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about malaria in South Asian communities. Methodology: We conducted a systematic literature review, searching six databases, between 1990 and 2015, focusing on knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about malaria in South Asia. Databases were searched using both 'free terms' and 'index terms' funnelled using Boolean operators and truncations. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were set, and included papers were scrutinised, employing a critical appraisal tool to find the best available evidences to support the study purpose. Results and discussion: Evidence from 32 articles (26 quantitative, four qualitative and two mixed methods). General knowledge and awareness of the disease, its transmission, and control and preventative measures were generally found to be lacking amongst both the general public and healthcare professionals. In addition, the study shows that poor socio-economic factors - including limited access to services due to poor/limited availability - and issues of affordability are considered as major risk factors. Conclusion: This review suggests the importance of increasing health awareness, mobilising the local or community healthcare professionals, for prevention as well as early detection and effective treatment of malaria among people who are at risk. Malaria is also a disease associated with poverty and socio-cultural factors; therefore, strong political will, wider partnerships between health and non-health sectors, and strengthening health systems' technical and managerial capabilities at all level of primary healthcare systems, is inevitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has been seen as a regional group for the economic and social growth in the South Asia since its formation by South Asian founding nations. There have been various conceptualized goals and objectives for the SAARC. Some of these performed to the satisfaction of group nations whereas there are those one also which could not be achieved despite common understanding and implementation. This paper evaluates the performance of the regional group as to its justification for the social & economics growth driver in the South Asia region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dominant analyses of the generative conditions and the particular forms assumed by 'Englishness' in the late nineteenth century continue to territorialise its formation within the metropole. This paper seeks to challenge the retied binary topography of metropole/periphery by situating dominant articulations of 'Englishness' within the territorial and discursive ground of colonial South Asia. A recognition of the broader, asymmetrically structured field of imperial social relations, I argue, requires a reconceptualization of 'Englishness' as an imperial formation. Through a critical analysis of the official historiography on the mutiny, the spatial and discursive practices of mutiny tours, and their constitutive role in shaping the identity of tourists, this paper attempts to show the intersections between 'Englishness', England and Empire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the literature on crop residue burning - a widespread practice in many regions in South Asia. Specifically, we examine evidence from studies highlighting the scale of the practice in South Asia, the environmental implications, the drivers of the practice and the remedies to the problem. The studies provide evidence that the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) is a hot-spot for atmospheric pollutants, with seasonal crop residue burning being a major contributor. The burning of crop residue is reported to degrade the soil, increase the risk of erosion, and increase the soil temperature, consequently decimating soil microorganisms. This subsequently impacts the monetary cost involved in recovering the soil fertility and the potential for further pollution through the increased use of fertilizer. The review shows that farmers' reasons for burning crop residues are mainly the high cost of incorporating, collecting, transporting, and processing crop residues in South Asia. Labour shortages, the marketability of the crop residue and the short time interval between harvest and next cropping seasons also influence farmers decision to burn crop residue. To address this problem, there is the need to encourage the use of agricultural machines capable of sowing crops in standing stubble, adopting in-situ practices and changing crop varieties to those with short duration. In addition, education and awareness are needed to change beliefs and perceptions on crop residue burning. Crucially, when promoting alternative sustainable uses of crop residue, the economic benefits should be prioritized, and support towards initial investments that accompany the adoption of alternative practices should be provided. • Agricultural fires significantly contribute to atmospheric pollutants in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. • Recycling cost and labour shortages exacerbate the problem. • In promoting sustainable use of crop residue, the economic benefits should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) assessment is essential for providing intuition regarding factors involving productivity change. Integration of environmental aspects together with productive efficiency provides identification of factors for agricultural growth and environmental performance which anticipates foundation for the sustainable agricultural development. In a non-parametric framework, this paper establishes a modified directional by-production model to ensure the link between production and pollution-generating sub-technologies which offers more refined economic interpretations thereby proposing a unique shadow value of the pollution-generating inputs for the two sub-technologies. Further, a non-oriented generalized Luenberger-Hicks-Moorsteen (LHM) productivity indicator is adapted for the refined by-production model to measure the environmental TFP of agriculture sector in South Asia during 2000–2019. The environmental LHM-TFP decomposition accumulates both input and output changes yielding three mutually exclusive components, i.e. technical efficiency change, technological progress, and scale efficiency change. Moreover, the spatial evolution of agricultural carbon shadow price has been accessed during the study period. The policy implications suggest effective ways to improve the environmental TFP of agriculture in South Asia by strengthening technical efficiency advancements and optimizing economies of scale, promoting the coordinated development among countries for sustainable agricultural practices, and encouraging cleaner agricultural production for emissions reduction. • Environmental Total Factor Productivity (TFP) in South Asian agriculture sector is evaluated. • Modified directional by-production model links production and pollution-generating sub-technologies. • Luenberger-Hicks-Moorsteen (LHM) productivity indicator interpret Environmental TFP. • Environmental LHM TFP is decomposed into three mutually exclusive components. • Agricultural policy implications for promoting sustainable development are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/objective. Zika virus (ZIKV) is a dangerous infectious agent, due to its potential to cause severe teratogenic results, especially an abnormal brain development – microcephaly. It is also well known that the most common geographical areas for the transmission of this disease are South and Central America, South Asia, the Pacific region and, in particular, the United Kingdom, which is contracted by mosquito bites. Methodology. For this paper, we consulted studies in the literature and selected the essential information on the complications of this infection. Results. Pregnant women are advised to avoid traveling to these areas or contraception for three months after returning from one of these regions. Like other agents, ZIKV can be transmitted vertically through the placenta during pregnancy, with potentially harmful consequences for the fetus. The easy clinical presentation made it difficult to establish a case definition for ZIKV infection in pregnant women. Zika virus infections during pregnancy are mainly identified using nucleic acid amplification and serological tests. Discussion and conclusions. While highly sensitive and specific laboratory diagnostic tests will improve the identification of maternal ZIKV infection before severe fetal abnormalities occur, there are currently no antivirals available to prevent the vertical transmission of Zika virus to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/objective. Zika virus (ZIKV) is a dangerous infectious agent, due to its potential to cause severe teratogenic results, especially an abnormal brain development – microcephaly. It is also well known that the most common geographical areas for the transmission of this disease are South and Central America, South Asia, the Pacific region and, in particular, the United Kingdom, which is contracted by mosquito bites. Methodology. For this paper, we consulted studies in the literature and selected the essential information on the complications of this infection. Results. Pregnant women are advised to avoid traveling to these areas or contraception for three months after returning from one of these regions. Like other agents, ZIKV can be transmitted vertically through the placenta during pregnancy, with potentially harmful consequences for the fetus. The easy clinical presentation made it difficult to establish a case definition for ZIKV infection in pregnant women. Zika virus infections during pregnancy are mainly identified using nucleic acid amplification and serological tests. Discussion and conclusions. While highly sensitive and specific laboratory diagnostic tests will improve the identification of maternal ZIKV infection before severe fetal abnormalities occur, there are currently no antivirals available to prevent the vertical transmission of Zika virus to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tsunami that struck the coasts of India on 26 December 2004 resulted in the large-scale destruction of fisher habitations. The post-tsunami rehabilitation effort in Tamil Nadu was directed towards relocating fisher settlements in the interior. This paper discusses the outcomes of a study on the social effects of relocation in a sample of nine communities along the Coromandel Coast. It concludes that, although the participation of fishing communities in house design and in allocation procedures has been limited, many fisher households are satisfied with the quality of the facilities. The distance of the new settlements to the shore, however, is regarded as an impediment to engaging in the fishing profession, and many fishers are actually moving back to their old locations. This raises questions as to the direction of coastal zone policy in India, as well as to the weight accorded to safety (and other coastal development interests) vis-à-vis the livelihood needs of fishers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is known for its huge diaspora of over 20 million people outside of the country, (MEA: 2002), whose growing importance has stimulated the development of a specific governmental structure to relate with it. At the same time India is known for receiving several migrants from different South Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, that is associated with "illegal immigration" and human trafficking. In turn, illegal immigration has been a burning issue in the North East of India associated with serious socio-political implications. Though India and Bangladesh depict different positions on the subject, they have put into practice a joint Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP), signed in July 2011, besides managing a 'Task Force of Bangladesh and India for Rescue, Recovery, Repatriation and Integration of Trafficked victims/survivors'. The subject has precipitated questions on security in terms of, both, the states as well as the human beings involved/affected. Considering the above mentioned, this paper aims at analyzing the characteristic of illegal migration from Bangladesh to India by means of the analysis of documents and the review of literature on the subject. Taking up the dynamics of the contemporary positions of both the countires this research offers a critical analysis of the politically sensitive issue. Having signed an agreement on the enclaves issue and the renewal of the bilateral commerce, the two contiguous neihbours also highlight the need to monitor the border in a more effective way, and disable the policy of 'vote bank' amidst their other concerns. It seems worthy of attention therefore, that India and Bangladesh work for a more comprehensive approach to the question of security. It would be interesting to see if such an approach between them could also include on board, the issues connected with the development and empowerment of subjects and regions, both as a strategy and as a response to the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes a suite of global climate models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) archives to understand the mechanisms behind a net increase in the South Asian summer monsoon precipitation in response to enhanced radiative forcing during the twenty-first century. An increase in radiative forcing fuels an increase in the atmospheric moisture content through warmer temperatures, which overwhelms the weakening of monsoon circulation and results in an increase of moisture convergence and therefore summer monsoon precipitation over South Asia. Moisture source analysis suggests that both regional (local recycling, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal) and remote (including the south Indian Ocean) sources contribute to the moisture supply for precipitation over South Asia during the summer season that is facilitated by the monsoon dynamics. For regional moisture sources, the effect of excessive atmospheric moisture is offset by weaker monsoon circulation and uncertainty in the response of the evapotranspiration over land, so anomalies in their contribution to the total moisture supply are either mixed or muted. In contrast, weakening of the monsoon dynamics has less influence on the moisture supply from remote sources that not only is a dominant moisture contributor in the historical period but is also the net driver of the positive summer monsoon precipitation response in the twenty-first century. The results also indicate that historic measures of the monsoon dynamics may not be well suited to predict the nonstationary moisture-driven South Asian summer monsoon precipitation response in the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop residues (CR) have become a limited resource in mixed crop-livestock farms. As a result of the increasing demand and low availability of alternative resources, CR became an essential resource for household activities, especially for livestock keeping; a major livelihood element of smallholder farmers in the developing world. Farmers’ decisions on CR use are determined by farmers’ preferences, total crop production, availability of alternative resources and demand for CR. Interaction of these determinants can result in pressures and trade-offs of CR use. Determinants, pressures and trade-offs are shaped by the specific socio-economic and agro-ecological context of these mixed farms. The objective of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of the determinants of CR use and to examine some options to cope with pressures and trade-offs in 12 study sites across Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Drawing on socio-economic data at household and village level, we describe how cereal intensification and livestock feed demand influence use, pressures and trade-offs of CR use across study sites, specifically cereal residue. Our results show that in low cereal production and livestock feed demand sites, despite a low demand for CR and availability of alternative biomass, pressures and trade-offs of CR use are common particularly in the dry season. In sites with moderate cereal production, and low–moderate and moderate livestock feed demand, alternative biomass resources are scarce and most residues are fed to livestock or used to cover household needs. Subsequently, pressures and potential trade-offs are stronger. In sites with low cereal production and high livestock feed demand, pressures and trade-offs depend on the availability of better feed resources. Finally, sites with high cereal production and high livestock feed demand have been able to fulfil most of the demand for CR, limiting pressures and trade-offs. These patterns show that agricultural intensification, better management of communal resources and off-farm activities are plausible development pathways to overcome pressures and trade-offs of CR use. Although technologies can largely improve these trends, research and development should revisit past initiatives so as to develop innovative approaches to tackle the well-known problem of low agricultural production in many smallholder mixed systems, creating more sustainable futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The range of Yamuna Kachru's publications is tremendously broad, ranging from language pedagogy, to South Asian - especially Hindi - syntax and syntactic typology, to discourse in South Asian and other languages, to the broader issue of South Asia and world Englishes. This paper focuses on a number of those aspects of her work that have stimulated my own work on several facets of South Asian linguistics, and presents a personal perspective on Professor Kachru's work in this arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Past studies of female drug users in South Asia tend to focus on their plights, for instance, how they have been driven to drug use and encounter more problems than their male counterparts, such as HIV/AIDS and sexual abuse. Few studies focus on their active role – how they actively make use of resources in the external environment to construct their desired femininity through drug consumption. Furthermore, little is known about the situation of female South Asian drug users who are living overseas. This paper is a study of transnational migration, drug use and gender – how transnational migration influences the drug use of female transnational migrants. Methods An 18-month ethnography has been carried out in a Nepali community in Hong Kong and 13 informants were interviewed. Data were coded and analyzed by using the grounded-theory approach. Themes related to the drug use of the female Nepali heroin users were identified. Results The findings show that there are three important themes that significantly affect the drug use of female Nepali heroin users, which include (1) their relationships with intimate partners, (2) their means of support, and (3) their legal status in migration. Conclusions The findings are consistent with the concept of post-structuralism in gender and transnationalism theories. Female Nepali heroin users in Hong Kong are neither active agents nor passive victims; their active/passive role is largely dependent on their reconfigured opportunities and constraints in transnational migration. Thus, transnationalism should be taken as an important perspective to study the situation of female drug users in a globalized context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper empirically examines the effects of trade liberalization reforms on food security in South Asia countries (SACS) using econometric analysis in a panel framework for the period from 1972 to 2013. The estimated results indicate that trade liberalization has a significant positive effect on food production and food security in the region. The results also endorse the role of agriculture factors in improving food production and food security in sacs. The findings indicate that food security is mainly a political problem in South Asia. Solving conflicts politically, violence prevention, the reduction of international arms trade, and the reduction of military expenditures and protection of civil and political rights should be central to policies that address food security issue in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary socio-economic transformations in South Asia are creating increasingly serious water problems (scarcity, flooding, pollution) and conflicts. Conflicts over water distribution, water-derived benefits, and risks often play out along axes of social differentiation like caste, wealth, and gender. Those with least power, rights, and voice suffer lack of access, exclusion, dispossession, and further marginalisation, resulting in livelihood insecurity or increased vulnerability to risks. In this paper we propose analysing these problems as problems of justice – problems of distribution, recognition, and political participation. Drawing on wider environmental justice approaches, a specific water justice focus needs to include both the specific characteristics of water as a resource and the access, rights, and equity dimensions of its control. We argue that recognising water problems as problems of justice requires a re-politicisation of water, as mainstream approaches to water resources, water governance, and legislation tend to normalise or naturalise their – basically political – distributional assumptions and implications. An interdisciplinary approach that sees water as simultaneously natural (material) and social is important here. We illustrate these conceptual and theoretical suggestions with evidence from India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

irscholarship in India has focused on the borders, territory and sovereignty of the Indian state, overlooking the rich complexity of interior border formation between colonial and independent India. The paper argues that the study of the princely states under the British paramountcy (1858–1947), neglected so far, is valuable toirscholarship on three grounds. First, in mapping colonial India’s engagement with the outside world, the focus has been solely on British India. The princes were equally participative and perceptive of the outside world. Second, the princely states represent yet another challenge to the Westphalian notion of sovereignty, demonstrating the limited capacity of European categories to understand the ‘non-West’. Third, incorporating the paramountcy system in the genealogy of sovereignty of the Indian subcontinent offers a fresh account of border construction inside the state. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Falling government and donor funding, which has traditionally supported microfinance, is followed by an expansion of financially self-sustainable Microfinance Institutions (MFIs). This development has raised the concern as to whether the social goals of traditional microfinance would be equally well served in the new environment in as much as financial performance and outreach compete with each other. In this paper, we empirically examine this relation between financial performance and outreach of MFIs in a panel of South Asian countries from 2003 to 2009 using random effects modeling and general method of moments (GMM) estimation. We find that: (a) breadth and depth of outreach are positively associated to profitability and efficiency, and (b) depth in contrast to breadth mitigates risks. Overall, our findings do not confirm a statistically significant negative relation between financial performance and outreach goals, suggesting that a financially sustainable microfinance expansion can achieve its social goals at an acceptable credit risk level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questionable practices for dismantling end-of-life ships or ‘ship recycling’ on South Asian countries’ shores have elicited unease given their dominance of this unevenly regulated global industry. International efforts to establish enforceable regulations have met with limited success so far, and yet this limited success may be further eroded as different interests promote their own preferred arrangements—or ignore them altogether. This paper focuses on narrowing differences between the European Union and South Asian ship recycling nations over regulating this trade by sequentially detailing its economic rationales, environmental regimes and relevant sustainability principles. These tasks performed, I deductively build a case for an aid-based, ‘demandeur pays’ approach to meaningfully address this impasse after considering other options to fund improved ship recycling practices in South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present examples from four research projects in India that were influenced by the values and ethics of decolonized and participatory research, and shaped by engendered perspectives. Each project built on earlier experiences that forced us to critically examine the ways we engaged with participants, crafted our field identities, and formed relationships. Using insights from linguistic anthropology and attending to intersectional inequalities and the construction of epistemic authority, we showcase how conducting an ethnography of communication and employing tactics of intersubjectivity influenced archaeological outcomes. We argue that close attention to context of communication, identity expression, and intersectional inequality enhances intersubjectivity, a necessary ingredient for successful participatory archaeology projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Out of the total 2600 myxozoan species reported so far, Thelohanellus Kudo, 1933 is the second most prevalent genus comprising of about 150 species after Myxobolus Butschli, 1882 infecting both freshwater and marine fishes. In general, these are mostly histozoic (within the tissues) and sometimes coelozoic (in body cavities). The present paper deals with the study of a novel Thelohanelloid T. neocyprini infecting gills of Catla catla and species complex among the member species of Thelohanellus genus from the Indian subcontinent infecting gills, fins and muscles. The species forming species complex are T. rohitae, T. catlae, T. jiroveci, T. seni, T. bifurcata, T. dykovae, T. neocyprini, T. filli, T. muscularis and T. theinensis. The phylogenetic analysis was also done on the basis of 18S rDNA. The homogeneity was found to be between 90 and 99%. The factors responsible for the species complex could be phylogeography, host reluctant, organ and tissue specificity of the these myxozoan parasites. Study of more genetic markers facilitated with morphotaxonomy can be used to sort out the occurrence of species complex among the morphologically different species having similar genetic makeup and vice-versa. • The present paper deals with the study of a novel Thelohanelloid T. neocyprini infecting gills of Catla catla and species complex among the member species of Thelohanellus genus from the Indian subcontinent infecting gills, fins and muscles. • The species forming species complex are T. rohitae, T. catlae, T. jiroveci, T. seni, T. bifurcata, T. dykovae, T. neocyprini, T. filli, T. muscularis and T. theinensis. • The phylogenetic analysis was also done on the basis of 18S rDNA. The homogeneity was found to be between 90 and 99%. • The factors responsible for the species complex could be phylogeography, host reluctant, organ and tissue specificity of the these myxozoan parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deep learning-based pneumonia detection in x-ray images is done in this work. • Different models of deep learning and transfer learning are analysed in this work for the image classification application. • An extensive analysis is carried out in this work with several experimental results. A large number of children die due to pneumonia every year worldwide. An estimated 1.2 million episodes of pneumonia were reported in children up to 5 years of age, of which 880,000 died in 2016. Hence, pneumonia is a major cause of death amongst children, with high prevalence rate in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Even in a developed country like the United States, pneumonia is among the top 10 causes of deaths. Early detection and treatment of pneumonia can reduce mortality rates among children significantly in countries having a high prevalence. Hence, this paper presents Convolutional Neural Network models to detect pneumonia using x-ray images. Several Convolutional Neural Networks were trained to classify x-ray images into two classes viz., pneumonia and non-pneumonia, by changing various parameters, hyperparameters and number of convolutional layers. Six models have been mentioned in the paper. First and second models consist of two and three convolutional layers, respectively. The other four models are pre-trained models, which are VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50, and Inception-v3. The first and second models achieve a validation accuracy of 85.26% and 92.31% respectively. The accuracy of VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50 and Inception-v3 are 87.28%, 88.46%, 77.56% and 70.99% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analysis of active travel in a city in the Global South. • Active travel is influenced by perceptions neighborhood conditions. • Cycling is more probable when perceptions of walking conditions are good. • Improving perceptions of crime helps only after other perceptions are improved. • Improving perceptions also makes cycling more probable for longer trips. This paper aims to investigate the perceptions of neighborhood conditions and their effect on urban active transportation (UAT) in the context of a city in the Global South. We analyze data from a survey of commuters in the city of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Concretely, we are interested in cycling and walking. A probabilistic model of mode use is estimated using disaggregate data collected in Rajshahi through a face-to-face survey in 2017. The study reveals that similar to other regions in the world, students are more likely to use active transportation compared to other socio-demographic groups, and that motorized vehicle ownership is associated with lower probabilities of active transportation. Furthermore, the probabilities of choosing active modes at different neighborhood-level conditions were calculated based on the derived model for both students and non-students by residential and non-residential land-use types. In addition to the duration of the trip, the perceived neighborhood-level characteristics are critical for active transportation. Improving neighborhood conditions and their perception by the public can enhance the attractiveness of active travel, more specifically cycling for longer commutes. Based on the study findings, the paper discusses strategies to promote the use of active transportation in the context of a country in the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global-level warming largely influences drought dynamics. Therefore, a robust drought projection is critical to support sustainable development under a future warming climate, especially at the regional level (i.e., South Asia). Encouraged by the Paris Agreement, this study investigates the changes in the intensity, area, and duration of future droughts under 1.5 °C, 2.0 °C, 3.0 °C, and 4.0 °C global warming levels over South Asia. In this regard, seven global climate model outputs under seven newly designed climate change scenarios (SSP1-1.9, SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, SSP4-3.4, SSP4-6.0, and SSP5-8.5) from the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) are used. The standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), self-calibrating Palmer drought severity index (scPDSI), and intensity-area-duration (IAD) method are adopted to characterize drought. Drought events are identified considering an area coverage greater than 50,000 km2 for predefined drought durations of 3- (short-term), 6- (medium-term), and 12-month (long-term). A significant drying trend is seen and tested against the two-sample t -test. Notably, to represent the more concrete picture of changes in drought characteristics, the results based on two indices (SPEI and scPDSI) are combined (average) in this paper. The results reveal that droughts with higher-intensity, and long-term duration will increase with continued warming. As drought features, the number of long-term droughts will increase by 21.5% (highest), and the leading area coverage is also estimated (>7%) for long-term drought at higher warming (i.e.4.0 °C) than the reference period (1995–2014). Furthermore, drought events with large-area (>3 × 105 km2) coverage are projected to become more frequent. For drought severity, extreme drought events and associated area coverage are more likely to unfold over the region. However, overall drought conditions are inclined to worsen under higher warming, especially 4.0 °C warming. Importantly, for global warming targets set by the Paris Agreement (1.5 °C and 2.0 °C), drought conditions will be more acute at 2.0 °C than at 1.5 °C. Spatially, a significant drying trend is mainly observed in the western part of South Asia (Southwest-Northwest) according to both drought metrics (SPEI and scPDSI). Notably, NW will experience acute droughts under all warming levels. Droughts in this region will be mainly influenced by the combined effect of decreasing precipitation and escalated evapotranspiration. As global warming increases, a significant increase in PET and temperature is found over South Asia. In addition, the model evaluation shows that the CMIP6-Global climate models (GCMs) are capable of satisfactorily reproducing climate variables and drought events in South Asia. However, our study's findings strongly support the execution of the Paris Agreement target and provide a scientific basis for articulating drought adaptation measures at the regional scale, especially in South Asia. • Intensity-Area-Duration approach is used to analyze future drought over South Asia for 1.5oC - 4.0oC warming. • The modified Penman-Monteith method (considering CO 2) are adopted to estimate PET. • Overall drought conditions will worsen under 4.0oC warming. • The Northwest of South Asia is inclined to be affected by intense drought in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]