Climate Change and Socio-Ecological Transformations in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Pathways to Sustainable Development

The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is widely recognized as a global climate hotspot, characterized by fragile ecosystems, diverse socio-cultural settings, and high dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods such as agriculture, forestry and pastoralism. Recent decades have witnessed significant climatic shifts, including temperature increase, erratic rainfall, and glacier retreat, which have profound implications for water resources, food security, and rural livelihoods. At the same time, socio-economic changes such as market integration, infrastructure development, out-migration of youth and demographic transitions are reshaping local livelihood systems. These overlapping environmental and socio-economic processes are leading to complex socio-ecological transformations, making it critical to understand how climate change interacts with existing development dynamics in mountain regions. The primary goal of this Research Topic is to critically examine how climate change is driving socio-ecological transformations in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region and to identify pathways toward sustainable and resilient development. While adaptation is often discussed in broad terms, there is a need to better understand how these processes operate in specific local contexts, particularly within mountain farming systems and rural livelihoods. This collection seeks to move beyond generalized narratives by generating empirically grounded insights into how communities adapt, reorganize, and transform in response to climatic stressors. It aims to contribute to both academic debates and policy discussions by highlighting context-specific adaptation pathways, livelihood transitions, and institutional responses that can support sustainable development in climate-sensitive mountain regions.This Research Topic welcomes contributions that examine climate change and socio-ecological transformations in mountain regions, with a primary focus on the Hindu Kush Himalaya. Key themes include, but are not limited to: • climate change impacts on agriculture and natural resources• adaptation strategies and livelihood transitions• migration and mobility as responses to environmental and socio-economic change • resilience and vulnerability• socio-ecological system dynamics• institutional and governance responses• sustainability pathways in mountain contexts. Studies exploring household-level adaptation, community responses, and regional-scale transformations are particularly encouraged. We welcome a range of manuscript types, including original research articles, review papers and policy-oriented contributions. Interdisciplinary approaches that integrate environmental, social, and economic dimensions are especially encouraged. Topic editors: Saurav Kumar, Vishwambhar Prasad Sati, KUSUM PANDEY, Chaitanya Pande Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80259/climate-change-and-socio-ecological-transformations-in-the-hindu-kush-himalaya-pathways-to-sustainable-development