CLIMATE EXODUS: MAPPING THE UNSEEN PATHWAYS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DISPLACEMENT

Abstract

Our actions toward the environment inevitably come back to affect us climate change-induced migration is a clear consequence of that cycle. The term environmental refugees is gaining prominence in social and legal discussions, particularly in ecologically vulnerable countries like India. Climate change adds to existing displacement caused by urbanization, with severely affected regions including Satabhaya (Odisha), Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu), Kutch (Gujarat), Honnavar Taluk (Karnataka), and flood-prone areas of Kerala. Migrants from these regions move to cities like Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, where they enter informal labor markets lacking legal safeguards, housing, healthcare, and education.

This situation forces migrants to seek work in harsh urban conditions, leading to poverty and social stagnation. It degrades ecosystems and strains the national economy by increasing unemployment and underutilizing skilled workers. Women face heightened risks of exploitation, trafficking, and wage discrimination.

Climate-induced migration is globally acknowledged by bodies like the IPCC and IOM, with India projected to face 45–50 million internal displacements by 2050. Initiatives like the Cancún Framework (2010), UNFCCC’s Task Force (2015), and the Global Compact (2018) address these issues. However, India has neither ratified any binding convention nor created a national legal framework to tackle climate migration.

India’s existing laws, such as the Disaster Management Act (2005), Environment (Protection) Act (1986), and Coastal Regulation Zone Notifications, offer fragmented responses and fail to recognize climate migrants through a rights-based approach. Labour codes also lack specific protections, leaving displaced populations vulnerable.

This doctrinal study highlights these gaps and urges a national strategy that includes legal recognition, labour safeguards, inclusive urban planning, and climate-resilient livelihoods, all rooted in constitutional values and the SDGs—framing climate displacement as a constitutional duty.