Climate change forcing millions to leave their homes 

By 2050, climate change will displace 200 million people, says World Migration Report 2020 

According to the World Bank‘s Groundswell report released on 13 September 2021, the poorest of the nations are the most likely to be hit by climate change despite their almost negligible contribution to global emissions.

Around 250 million people will have to move from their homes to seek shelter in other parts of their own country.  

The top six nations most likely to record increased migration are Central And South Asia, North America, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Sub Saharan Africa alone will witness around 86 million internal migration.  

An article by Down To Earth reported the need to build a resilient and sustainable future to stop the spread of climate migration and its aftereffects.  

What is Climate migration? 

Climate migration refers to the movement of people from their place of habitation to another location due to a sudden climate change.

The main driving events can be floods, drought and storms. According to the Environmental Migration Portal of the UN, climate migration is part of environmental migration, and it involves a change in the environment due to abrupt climate change.  

While many people move in response to life-threatening climatic conditions, some of the population do not proceed and live in a dangerous environment.

This part of the population is trapped, and they are unable to move and are the most vulnerable and exposed.  

Indian climate migration 

According to the Global Report of Internal Displacement 2020, India recorded the highest figure for internal migration in 2019 due to disasters caused by climate change.

As about 67 per cent of India’s rural population depends on climate-sensitive occupations like agriculture, fishing, etc., they are the most vulnerable to extreme climate changes.  

People migrate in search of work when heavy, or no rainfall destroys crops. They leave their homes when floods happen at high frequency.

They move to other cities or towns when living standards go down due to harsh climate conditions.  

Joe Biden says America has not more than ten years.

On a recent visit to California’s office of emergency services, Joe Biden stated concern over the rising climate change due to global warming, reported by the New York Times.

The wildfires in northern California are increasingly alarming to which experts indicate the warm temperature as the leading cause.

The warm climate leads to snow melting and drying of leaves, causing high elevations of flames.  

US envoy’s visit to India  

United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry visited India on 12 September to discuss global climate and India’s plan towards clean energy, The Hindu reported.  

It further added that the US will collaborate with India to build 450GW of renewable energy by 2030.

The task force signed by both the countries focuses on intensifying dependence on bioenergy, hydrogen and renewable energy sources.  

Impact of climate change on India’s GDP 

India is facing the adverse effects of global warming at 1’c. The consequences of this include heatwaves, heavy rainfall and other severe climate conditions leading to an increase in poverty and other challenges to human livelihood.  

India is facing the adverse effects of global warming at 1’c. The consequences of this include heatwaves, heavy rainfall and other severe climate conditions leading to an increase in poverty and other challenges to human livelihood.

The ‘Cost of Climate Change in India’, a report by a Development Institute, stated that India’s poverty rate might rise by 3.5 per cent due to climate change by 2040, the Indian Express reported.  

The rising global warming, if not stopped, will cost India to lose all that it has done to fasten its development speed and income generation, which will affect both the urban and rural living population.