Climate Change Influenced Displacement in

South Asia:
Analyzing the Scope of Labour Migration as an
Adaptive Mechanism

Dr. S.I. Humayun, India, and

Santa Islam, Bangladesh
Introduction
 One of the great challenges facing humankind in the
21st century is how to deal Climate change;
 This may happen due to natural courses, or external
factors like changes in the atmospheric composition
or deforestation—which are man-made;
 The aftermath of climate change hits different
ecosystem differently;
 Its consequences on the human population is full of
complexities.
Points of Discussion
 Climate Crisis Jeopardizing South Asia;
 Climate-induced Displacement: Trends in South Asia;
 Climate Change Accelerating Climate-induced
Migration;
 Cross-border Labour Migration Induced by Climate
Change
 Climate-induced Migrants Recognized in the
Instrumental Frameworks
 Recommendations
Climate Crisis Jeopardizing South
Asia
 Climate change is widely assumed to have an impact on key aspects
of mankind;
 The South Asian region is one of the most disaster-prone regions on
the planet;
 The consequences have challenged the region's overall living
standard, effecting health, sanitation, education, and agricultural
production;
 For India and Bangladesh, natural catastrophes includes impulsive
onset incidents such as flash floods, hurricanes, threat of water
logging, salinity intrusion, and riverbank erosion, as well as events
with a slow onset; for instance, coastal erosion and terrestrial loss.
Continued
 30% of Bangladesh’s land are likely to be
submerged by 2080;
 20 million of its inhabitants will be homeless;
 According to IPCC, India will supposedly be
experiencing a sea-level rise of 0.1 meter to 0.3
meter in next three decades due to global warming;
 By 2100 approximately 36 million of Indian
population are at risk of living in chronic flooding
prone areas;
Climate-induced Displacement in
South Asia
 Displacement/migration is one of the possible
outcomes of climate change.
 Displacement refers to two types changes in the
location; internal displacement and international
migration;
 In case of climate-related resettlement, cross-border
movement has remained limited.
 This type of migration is involuntary, forced,
irregular in nature.
Climate Change Accelerating Climate-
induced Migration
 The agriculture sector is particularly vulnerable to
climate change
 Climate change can increase the costs of safe
drinking water, access to food, livelihood
opportunities etc.
 India and Bangladesh are experiencing plight of
internal migrants, people are relocating from
villages to cities.
 The situation has accelerated migration.
Cross-border Labour Migration
 People from this region has been historically seen to
take shelter across the border following catastrophes,
war etc.
 The reduction of traditional employment opportunities
accelerating labour migration;
 There is a broad scope of internalizing labour migration
as an adoptive mechanism against climate tragedy;
 The poor border management has increased the risk of
human trafficking and other cross-border crimes.
Legal/Instrumental Frameworks
 International obligations under the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris
Agreement etc.
 National Obligations- Constitution and national
policies, laws and strategies;
 Judicial activism
Recommendations
 Climate change related risks assessment
 Sustainable economic development
 Phasing down the carbon emission
 Capacity building
 Engaging community
 Influencing policy
 Administering safe labour migration
 Legal protection against human trafficking
THANK YOU