Published Paper Details:

Climate change and natural disasters are posing unprecedented challenges for the eastern coastal population of India. Odisha, being a coastal state, is a perfect case study for examining the integration of climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) methods in the context of Bhadrak District. It is prone to cyclones, storm surges, and floods. This paper is primarily dominated by secondary sources of data, using a mixed-method approach by collecting data from government reports, institutional frameworks and peer-reviewed literature. Findings exposed that despite Odisha being a flagbearer of disaster management through its "zero casualty model" during cyclones, there are certain problems in ecosystem-based adaptation, community-based participation and climate adaptation mainstreaming. Vulnerability assessment data indicates exposure indices in Bhadrak district to be in the range of 0.65-0.78 and adaptation capability being limited by socio-economic factors. The study found that 35% of adaptation initiatives directly addressed catastrophe risk reduction, 45% reduced vulnerability and 20% enhanced ecological resilience. While concluding, prominent suggestions involve integrated coastal zone management, mangrove restoration of more than 1,000 hectares, enhanced early warning systems to the last mile and strengthening of multilevel governance. The findings inform evidence-based policy development for closing CCA-DRR implementation gaps in climate-vulnerable regions in line with the Sendai Framework and achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Keywords: Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction, Mangrove Restoration, Bhadrak District, Sendai Framework, Sustainable Development Goals.