Affiliations: [a]
Department of Geography, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| [b]
North East Regional Research and Resource Centre, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| [c]
Department of Computer Science, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
Abstract: One of the main global concerns of the twenty-first century is climate change, which is causing patterns of precipitation and temperature to shift, as well as a rise in the frequency of extreme occurrences. In order to evaluate the effects of climate change on the Himalayan State, the study examines the long-term changes in temperature and precipitation in Sikkim, India, over a period of 121 years (1901–2021). The study uses the “Mann-Kendall Trend Test” and “Sen’s Slope Estimator” to analyse the monthly temperature and precipitation data across Sikkim’s districts: East, West, North, and South. The paper shows that the state has a significant increase in average temperatures across all districts, with an upward trend and p-values <0.01. The study also shows that the precipitation trends are less uniform, with South Sikkim being the only district exhibiting a significantly decreasing rainfall trend. The rising temperatures and variable precipitation patterns highlight the region’s vulnerability to climate change, with potential implications for water resources, agriculture, and ecological balance. This research points towards the need for urgency in incorporating climate understandings into the policy frameworks to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and promote sustainability in Sikkim.
Keywords: Climate change, Trend analysis, Mann-Kendall test
