Question : Displacement due to Climate Change

(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?

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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