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HomeClimate RefugeesClimate change exacerbating migration crisis - DW - 04/19/2023

Climate change exacerbating migration crisis – DW – 04/19/2023

“Climate Change and Migration: The Impact of Cyclone Bulbul on Sundarbans Residents”

Climate-induced migration continues to be a pressing issue in the Sundarbans region, with residents like Protima Rai still grappling with the aftermath of Cyclone Bulbul that struck in 2019. The devastation caused by the cyclone forced Rai and hundreds of other families to migrate from their village to safer areas. The impact of rising sea levels and increasing salinity has deprived the people in the core Sundarbans areas of their main sources of livelihood, such as agriculture and fishing.

According to the Rural Household Survey, over 25% of principal earners of individual families in the Sundarbans region have migrated temporarily in search of work. The environmental degradation caused by coastal erosion and rising sea levels is gradually eating away at the land in the Sundarbans, pushing many villagers to migrate to cities like Kolkata.

Jayanta Basu, an environment and climate expert based in Kolkata, highlighted the lack of structured policies or action plans from the administration to provide social protection in countering climate change and related migration. The eastern state of Odisha is also experiencing an increase in vulnerabilities due to climate change, leading to a rise in migrant workers searching for work.

The impact of climate change is also evident in other regions of India, such as the Chilika Lake area in Odisha. Changing environmental conditions have affected the livelihoods of local people, leading to permanent migrations from towns like Mangalajodi. Climate migration is often influenced by extreme events like storms, floods, and droughts, as well as slow-onset events like rising sea levels and saline water intrusion into agricultural land.

A report published in December 2020 by ActionAid and Climate Action Network South Asia projected that millions of people in South Asian countries, including India, will be displaced by climate disasters by 2050. India alone is expected to see 45 million people forced to migrate from their homes due to climate disasters, three times the current number of climate-induced migrants.

Despite the significant impact of climate-induced migration, there is a lack of comprehensive policies and action plans to address the issue in India. The country records some of the highest numbers of displacements in the world every year, with the vast majority triggered by disasters. While immediate support is provided to migrants in the aftermath of disasters, there is a lack of long-term institutional support for their needs.

Experts emphasize the importance of investing in building local climate resilience and protecting economies to address climate-induced migration. Initiatives like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) aim to bolster local livelihoods and community resilience, potentially leading to reverse migration in areas where such investments are made.

As climate change continues to impact vulnerable regions like the Sundarbans and Chilika Lake, addressing climate-induced migration remains a critical challenge that requires concerted efforts from policymakers, experts, and communities.

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