Description

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Context

Climate change accelerates sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion, and coastal erosion along India's coastline, harming the country's ecosystem, as well as its social and political landscape.

About India’s Coastal Vulnerability

India's 11,098.81-kilometer-long coastline is an important natural, economic, and cultural resource.
According to the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), around 34% of India's coastline is eroding.
According to the District-level Climate Risk Assessment, more than 50 districts face'very high' flood risk, while 91 districts face'very high' drought risk, with some experiencing both at the same time.

Examples of inadequate resettlement

Satabhaya (Odisha): Sea encroachment destroyed the entire hamlet; people were forced to transfer to government colonies with no means of sustenance.
Displacement patterns are also seen in
Honnavar (Karnataka)
Nagapattinam(Tamil Nadu)
Kutch (Gujarat
Parts of Kerala
Resettled communities are frequently forced into low-wage, insecure urban labor with little legal safeguards or government assistance.
Ecological loss caused by development projects

Projects that exacerbate coastal fragility.

Infrastructure projects (such as Sagarmala) that include ports, aquaculture farms, and energy facilities have:
Destroyed natural coastal barriers, such as mangroves and sand dunes.
Enhanced the susceptibility of coastlines to climate impacts.
Environmental approvals frequently disregard cumulative and long-term climatic hazards, perpetuating a disastrous development paradigm.

Legal and Policy Gaps

India does not have a dedicated law to handle climate-induced migration.
Existing legislation, such as the Catastrophe Management Act (2005) and the Environment Protection Act (1986), prioritizes catastrophe response above long-term displacement.
CRZ Notification for 2019: Criticized for prioritizing industrial and tourism development over community rights, resulting in increased marginalization of coastal residents.
Labour protections: Climate migrants are prone to exploitation and abuse because India's labour codes do not include explicit safeguards for them.
Legal precedents and unrealised protections: Supreme Court decisions in 1987 and 1996 confirmed the link between the environment and human rights.
However, these ideas are yet poorly translated into community-centered safeguards.

Source: The Hindu

Practice Question :

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the impact of rising sea levels:

Rising sea levels primarily affect small island nations and low-lying coastal regions.
Climate-induced migration due to rising seas can challenge national borders and democratic institutions.
Only developed countries are likely to experience sea-level rise-related displacement in the next 50 years.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: A) 1 and 2 only

Explanation:

Statement 1: Correct. Rising sea levels significantly impact small island nations and densely populated low-lying coastal zones like Bangladesh and the Maldives.
Statement 2: Correct. Climate migration can stress governance systems, democratic decision-making, and social infrastructure.
Statement 3: Incorrect. Developing countries are more vulnerable due to limited adaptation capacity and higher population density in risk-prone areas.