This open access book discusses the impact of human-induced global climate change on the
regional climate and monsoons of the Indian subcontinent adjoining Indian Ocean and the
Himalayas. It documents the regional climate change projections based on the climate models
used in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) and climate change modeling studies using the
IITM Earth System Model (ESM) and CORDEX South Asia datasets. The IPCC assessment reports
published every 6-7 years constitute important reference materials for major policy decisions
on climate change adaptation and mitigation. While the IPCC assessment reports largely
provide a global perspective on climate change the focus on regional climate change aspects is
considerably limited. The effects of climate change over the Indian subcontinent involve
complex physical processes on different space and time scales especially given that the mean
climate of this region is generally shaped by the Indian monsoon and the unique high-elevation
geographical features such as the Himalayas the Western Ghats the Tibetan Plateau and the
adjoining Indian Ocean Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. This book also presents policy relevant
information based on robust scientific analysis and assessments of the observed and projected
future climate change over the Indian region.
