Impact of climate-induced migration in India: A closer look at the environmental factors driving population movement in the sundarbans.
- South Asian Journal of Socio-Political Studies
- 25(1), Jul-Dec, 2024: p.21-27
Human societies. India, with its vast population and diverse geography, is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Climate-induced migration, having a major consequence, is becoming more prevalent. Displaced people face challenges like loss of livelihood, poverty, exploitation, and strain on resources. Coastal areas, like the Sundarbans, are particularly vulnerable to climate change, with underdevelopment and over-reliance on climate-dependent substances rendering the ecosystem vulnerable. Climate change has led to a mass movement from the Sundarbans region, disrupting the balance of human-nature interaction. This has resulted in an ecological imbalance, causing pressure on resources, infrastructure, and social dynamics, leading to informal settlements and slums. This migration cycle could become one of the largest movements of climate migrants in Asia and the world. India is more vulnerable to involuntary migration particularly from Sundarbans delta of Bangladesh, which has not just become a security concern for India itself, but it has witnessed an increase in the number of unskilled labourers in the urban areas. The Sundarbans region in India, a natural barrier from natural disasters, has been largely neglected due to inadequate government policies. To address this, the Indian government has implemented various adaptation strategies and government policies play a crucial role in providing support and assistance to affected communities. This paper aims to explore the sensitive nature of migration along with the challenges and limitations in addressing this issue in India, with a specific focus on the Sundarbans region.- Reproduced
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Climate-induced migration, United Nations framework convention on CII-mate change (UNFCCC), Sandbanks, South Asia, Sustainable livelihood, Mangrove ecosystem, involuntary migration, Sagar Island.