Rising seas and climate displacement: India's coastal communities face social and economic rupture
India's coastlines are experiencing profound social and economic disruption due to climate change, with rising seas, saltwater intrusion, and unregulated development displacing communities dependent on agriculture and fishing. Displaced populations are forced into precarious urban informal labour markets, lacking legal protection. Examples include Satabhaya in Odisha and communities in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Kerala. Industrial and infrastructural expansion, coupled with inadequate environmental clearances, exacerbate ecological degradation. The absence of a coherent legal framework for climate-induced migration leaves these communities vulnerable. While constitutional rights and environmental justice jurisprudence exist, their translation into robust, community-centric frameworks is lacking. Coastal communities have shown resilience through protests against destructive projects, highlighting the need for a rights-based approach in climate adaptation strategies.
Key Points
- Climate change impacts, including rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion, are causing significant displacement and social disruption in India's coastal regions.
- Displaced populations often end up in informal urban labour markets, facing exploitation and lacking legal protections.
- Unregulated industrial and infrastructural development, along with inadequate environmental clearances, worsen ecological degradation and community vulnerabilities.
- India lacks a comprehensive legal framework specifically addressing climate-induced migration, despite constitutional guarantees of life and dignity.
- A rights-based framework is essential for climate migrants, ensuring decent work, housing, education, and healthcare, and prioritizing community rights in coastal zone management.
Exam Facts
- Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees the right to life and dignity.
- Relevant acts mentioned include the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
- The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notifications, including 2019, are relevant frameworks.
- Supreme Court cases like M.C. Mehta vs Union of India (1987) and Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action vs Union of India (1996) recognized the link between environment and human rights.
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