What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to assess climate vulnerability and land-use dynamics in Northeast India using remote sensing evidence.

June 20, 2026Global and earth surface processes change.0 citationsOpen Access

Integrating Remote Sensing Outputs into Vulnerability Assessments and Climate Mitigation Policies for Enhancing Climate Resilience and Adaptability in Northeast India

RCRajdeep ChandaMizoram University STShri Kant TripathiMizoram University

Key Points

The aim is to assess climate vulnerability and land-use dynamics in Northeast India using remote sensing evidence.
Synthesis of 156 peer-reviewed studies employing Landsat, Sentinel-1/2, and MODIS datasets.
Evaluation of land surface temperature trends, vegetation stress, and land-use transitions from 2000 to 2025.
Analysis of historical data from mid-1980s to understand climate changes and ecosystem impacts.
Significant regional warming of 0.8–1.4°C from 2000 to 2024, especially above 3000 m elevation.
Marked spatial heterogeneity in forest cover decline, up to 35% in disturbed areas.
Vegetation stress increasing in degraded systems, with integration of data improving classification accuracy by 6–20%.

Abstract

Northeast India, located within the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, is experiencing rapid climate-induced changes that threaten ecosystem integrity, agricultural productivity, and regional livelihoods. This review synthesises remote sensing-based evidence on climate vulnerability and land-use/land-cover (LULC) dynamics, primarily drawing on studies published between 2000 and 2025, while incorporating historical observations from the mid-1980s onward. A total of 156 peer-reviewed studies using Landsat, Sentinel-1/2, and MODIS datasets were systematically evaluated to assess land surface temperature (LST) trends, vegetation stress, and LULC transitions associated with shifting cultivation, deforestation, and urbanisation. Results indicate significant regional warming (0.8–1.4°C during 2000–2024), with stronger warming at elevations above 3000 m. Forest-cover decline exhibited marked spatial heterogeneity, ranging from approximately 12% in relatively stable landscapes to more than 35% in highly disturbed regions of Mizoram and Nagaland, concurrent with shortening of jhum cycles from 15–20 to 3–5 years. Vegetation stress increased in degraded shifting-cultivation systems and urban corridors, as indicated by NDVI–LST relationships. Integration of Sentinel-1 SAR with optical imagery improved classification accuracy by 6–20% under persistent monsoon cloud cover. SEM studies from analogous mountain and tropical regions indicate strong linkages (β = 0.42–0.68) among LULC change, thermal stress, and ecosystem degradation, although these relationships remain untested in Northeast India. Agroforestry systems mitigate soil carbon losses relative to degraded fallows, but policy gaps continue to limit the implementation of climate-adaptation measures. Future research should prioritise advanced geospatial analytics, climate downscaling, and integration of traditional ecological knowledge to strengthen regional climate resilience.

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