Lok Sabha Question No. 3506 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-20
Subject: Displacement due to Climate Change
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Pinaki Misra, Pradyut Bordoloi, Srinivas Kesineni, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Jagdambika Pal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3506

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2021

## Displacement due to Climate Change

## 3506.   SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU:

SHRI KESINENI SRINIVAS:

SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

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

- (a) whether the Government has data on displacement due to climate change including climate  risk  such  as  floods,  droughts,  global  warming,  forest  fire,  cyclone,  air pollution; if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether the Government is planning to conduct any such study in the recent future and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the  details  of  the  States  and  districts  more  susceptible  to  climate  change  risks  and States  and  districts  to  which  these  climate  induced  migrants  are  moving  to  and  the most vulnerable communities due to climate change, State/UT wise;
- (d) the steps being taken by the Government to address climate induced displacement and to rehabilitate climate-induced migrants in other parts of the country;
- (e) the data  depicting  the  number  of  citizens  affected  and  forced  to  migrate due  to  the natural disasters, droughts and other weather events for the last five years;
- (f) whether the Government has any proposal/any policy to provide relief and protection to the Climate Refugees, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (g) the  amount  of  financial  support  extended  to  the  citizens  affected  by  any  natural disaster?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (c) Displacement of affected peoplemay 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 1.5 degree 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 contribution of climate change triggering 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  so  far  have  relied  on mathematical  modelling  of  climate  change  impacts  but  these  are  yet  to  be  empirically verified.

(d)  to  (f)  The  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.

Migration patterns continue to be monitored by the Central and State Governments. However,  no  specific  data  is  available  for  the  number  of  citizens  affected  and  forced  to migrate due to the natural disasters, droughts and other weather events for the last five years.

(g) 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.

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