Lok Sabha Question No. 72 (STARRED), answered on 2022-02-07
Subject: Climate Induced Migration
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 72

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2022

## Climate Induced Migration

## *72. DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE: DR. HEENA GAVIT:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there  have  been  any  instances  of  climate  induced  migration/displacement  of citizens in the country during the last two years and if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (b) the number and details of citizens who have been displaced by environmental disasters during the last two years, State-wise;
- (c) whether any schemes exist to aid citizens affected by extreme weather or climate change and forced to migrate and if so, the State-wise details thereof; and
- (d) the details  of  the  plans,  if  any,  to  develop  a  framework  to  rehabilitate  climate  induced migrants, State-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

- (a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

***

## STATEMENT  REFFERED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 72 BY DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE AND DR. HEENA GAVIT REGARDING 'CLIMATE INDUCED MIGRATION'DUE FOR REPLY ON 07.02.2022

(a)  and  (b)  Migration/displacement  of  affected  people  may  be  due  to  economic,  social, political  and  other  factors.  It  may  be  temporary  or  permanent,  short  term  or  long  term depending on the underlying cause(s) of displacement. According to the Intergovernmental Panel  on  Climate  Change  Special  Report  on  Global  Warming  of  1.5degree  C  (2018),  the social,  economic  and  environmental  factors  underlying  displacement  of  people  by  climate change  are  complex  and  varied;  therefore,  attributing  it  to  the  effect  of  observed  climate change or assessing its possible magnitude with any degree of confidence is challenging.

There is no established study for India providing a quantified attribution of climate change  triggering  migration/displacement  of  people.  While  many  studies  monitor  extreme events in the environment, the science of attribution of these changes particularly to climate change is far more complex and currently an evolving subject. Most studies of attribution so far have relied generally on mathematical modelling of climate change impacts.

According to information received from the National Disaster Management Authority, disasters  such  as  seasonal  floods  in  flood  prone  States  cause  temporary  displacement  of people  due  to  flooding.  Such  displacement  may  range  from  a  few  weeks  to  two  or  three months.  After the flood season, displaced people tend to return to their original locations. It is difficult to attribute such displacement to climate change. In some locations, such as river islands affected by erosion, people are displaced locally due to erosion.

(c)  and  (d)  Relief,  recovery,  and  rehabilitation  are  governed,  inter  alia,  by  the  relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the guidelines, directives, and orders of the National Disaster Management Authority and the State Disaster Management Authorities. The constitutional, legal and administrative provisions relevant to disaster management and disaster risk reduction adequately address the management of disasters in the country.

The  State  Governments  undertake  relief  measures  in  the  wake  of  natural  disasters from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) already placed at their disposal in accordance with the extant norms. Additional assistance is extended from the National Disaster Response Fund  (NDRF)  as  per  established  procedure.  The  assistance  approved  under  SDRF/NDRF norms is provided in the form of relief.

*****