{"id":342488,"date":"2025-07-08T20:32:33","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T15:02:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=342488"},"modified":"2025-07-09T09:24:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T03:54:12","slug":"climate-change-is-displacing-and-redefining-coastal-indian-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/climate-change-is-displacing-and-redefining-coastal-indian-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate change is displacing and redefining coastal Indian lives"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source<\/strong>: The post Climate change is displacing and redefining coastal Indian lives has been created, based on the article \u201cRising seas, shifting lives and a test of democratic values<\/strong>\u201d published in \u201cThe Indian Express<\/strong>\u201d on 8th July 2025<\/p>\n

UPSC Syllabus Topic:<\/strong> GS Paper<\/strong>3- Environment <\/strong><\/p>\n

Context<\/strong>: India\u2019s coastal regions are facing rapid environmental and socio-economic disruption due to climate change. Rising seas, unregulated development, and habitat loss have displaced many, forcing them into vulnerable urban labour markets without proper safeguards or support.<\/p>\n

For detailed information on Climate induced migration<\/strong> read this article here<\/a><\/p>\n

Climate Change and Coastal Displacement<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Rising Seas and Vanishing Villages: <\/strong>Coastal settlements in Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Kerala are being eroded. Satabhaya village in Odisha<\/strong> has been submerged, with residents relocated to poorly equipped colonies.<\/li>\n
  2. Loss of Traditional Livelihoods: Farming and fishing<\/strong> are under threat from salinity, erosion, and mangrove loss. Ports and tourism projects<\/strong>, like those in Honnavar, accelerate this damage.<\/li>\n
  3. Forced Migration to Urban Centres: <\/strong>Displaced families move to cities such as Chennai, Bhubaneswar, and Mumbai<\/strong>, where they face precarious living and working conditions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Development and Environmental Degradation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. Infrastructural Expansion in Fragile Zones<\/strong>: Projects under Sagarmala<\/strong>, energy ventures, and commercial aquaculture have severely damaged coastal ecosystems like mangroves, dunes, and wetlands<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    2. Ignored Climate Risks in Clearances: <\/strong>Project approvals often ignore cumulative climate risks, leading to a development model that increases ecological and human vulnerability<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    3. Labour Vulnerabilities Post-Displacement: <\/strong>Migrants are pushed into informal work<\/strong> such as construction or domestic service, lacking protections or sustainable income.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Labour Exploitation and Legal Gaps<\/strong><\/h2>\n
        \n
      1. Debt Bondage and Informal Labour: <\/strong>Displaced people often rely on wage advances<\/strong>, creating cycles of bonded labour<\/strong> and dependence.<\/li>\n
      2. Lack of Labour Rights: India<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s labour laws<\/strong>, like the Building and Other Construction Workers Act, exclude most informal workers, offering little legal recourse<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      3. Gendered Exploitation: <\/strong>Displaced women in domestic work<\/strong> are at high risk of abuse, trafficking, and wage theft<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Inadequate Legal and Policy Framework<\/strong><\/h2>\n
          \n
        1. No Recognition of Climate Displacement: <\/strong>Though Article 21<\/strong> ensures dignity, no law directly addresses displacement caused by slow-onset climate disasters<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
        2. Limited Environmental and Disaster Laws: <\/strong>Acts like the Disaster Management Act<\/strong> and Environment Protection Act<\/strong> focus on immediate response, not long-term displacement.<\/li>\n
        3. Dilution of CRZ 2019: <\/strong>CRZ 2019 promotes tourism and industrialisation<\/strong>, weakening community safeguards and enabling commercial expansion in fragile zones<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Grassroots Resistance and Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n
            \n
          1. Community-Led Protests and Mobilisation: <\/strong>Movements like Save Satabhaya<\/strong>, Pattuvam Mangrove Protection<\/strong>, and opposition to Adani<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s Ennore project<\/strong> show local resistance.<\/li>\n
          2. Criminalisation of Environmental Defenders: <\/strong>Protesters face intimidation and surveillance<\/strong>, undermining freedom of association and protest<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
          3. Unjustified Managed Retreat: <\/strong>Authorities cite climate change to force relocation<\/strong> without consent or proper planning.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Towards a Rights-Based Adaptation Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n
              \n
            1. Mainstreaming Climate Migrants in Policy: <\/strong>Policies must guarantee housing, healthcare, education<\/strong>, and decent work<\/strong> for displaced persons.<\/li>\n
            2. Legal Reform and Labour Protections: Labour codes<\/strong> must include protections for migrants, especially in informal sectors.<\/li>\n
            3. Upholding Democratic Values: <\/strong>Protecting climate migrants reflects India<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s constitutional ideals<\/strong> and commitment to SDG Target 8.7<\/strong>: ending forced labour and ensuring decent work.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Question for practice:<\/strong><\/p>\n

              Examine<\/strong> how climate change-induced displacement is reshaping the livelihoods, rights, and legal protections of coastal communities in India.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Source: The post Climate change is displacing and redefining coastal Indian lives has been created, based on the article \u201cRising seas, shifting lives and a test of democratic values\u201d published in \u201cThe Indian Express\u201d on 8th July 2025 UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3- Environment Context: India\u2019s coastal regions are facing rapid environmental and socio-economic disruption… Continue reading Climate change is displacing and redefining coastal Indian lives<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10320,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1230],"tags":[59,216,10500],"class_list":["post-342488","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-pm-daily-articles","tag-environment","tag-gs-paper-3","tag-indian-express","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342488","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10320"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=342488"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342488\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=342488"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=342488"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=342488"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}