Mangrove Resilience to Sea Level Rise: Environmental Law and Eco-Tourism Governance in the Sundarbans

Author : Prerna Dixit

Abstract : The Indian Sundarbans are among the largest and most delicate mangrove forests in the world. These forests do a vital job: they act as a natural shield against rising sea levels and big storms. At the same time, they provide jobs for local people and support a busy tourism industry. But even though there are many laws and international promises meant to protect this area, its future is at risk. Climate change is happening fast, and tourism is growing too quickly for the environment to keep up. This paper looks at how India’s environmental laws and tourism rules are working in the Sundarbans. It focuses on whether these laws actually help the region adapt to climate change while protecting the rights of the people who live there. By looking at legal records and environmental data, the study finds a major gap between what the laws say and what is actually happening. Right now, tourism often ignores the limits of nature, and local communities are frequently left out of the benefits. Following the UN Sustainable Development Goals, this paper argues that we cannot save the mangroves without involving the local people. To protect the Sundarbans for the long term, India needs to move toward a model where local communities lead tourism and conservation efforts. True resilience depends on making sure that environmental protection and social justice go hand in hand.

Keywords : Sundarbans, Mangroves, Sea level rise, Environmental law, Tourism, Community rights, India, Climate change.

Conference Name : International Conference on Coastal Wetlands, Mangrove Ecosystems and Resilience to Sea Level Rise (ICCWMERSLR-26)

Conference Place : Mumbai, India

Conference Date : 11th Jan 2026