Climate Change is Impacting the Most Vulnerable in India

“Climate Change is the greatest threat to human rights in the 21st century,” according to Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

During the 1980s, many parts of India recorded over four hundred days of heat waves (an extended period of hot weather relative to past conditions). During 2010–2020, that number jumped to six hundred days. This dramatic increase could be closely linked to climate change occurring in most parts of the world. While the impact of this increase may be hard to fully appreciate, in reality, it is incredibly concerning and often life-threatening to the most vulnerable people, especially in India. It’s particularly hard for less developed nations that lack many comforts, like air-conditioning and sufficient water resources.

The impact of climate change on India’s population isn’t limited to problems caused by extreme heat. Described below are some of the environmental and human challenges brought on by climate change.

Desertification

India is facing increasingly severe droughts and unpredictable weather patterns. As a result, large portions of India’s agricultural land are no longer suitable for farming or general living. This situation has several downstream challenges. One particularly acute issue is the loss of livelihood since a great majority of the rural population is engaged in farming and related activities. For those who own land, it might be their only income-producing asset.

Chronic floods and droughts, compounded by population growth, have made food security a severe concern for many in distressed regions. This trend is tremendously concerning and shows no signs of improving soon.

Displacement

In the last decade, weather-related crises have triggered more than twice as much population displacement as conflict and violence. According to the UN, since 2010, weather emergencies around the world have forced an average of around 21.5 million people to move each year. In 2021 alone, nearly 5 million Indians were displaced because of climate change.

Many farmers are forced to find work as laborers or migrate to cities where industrial jobs might be available. Families are often separated, and workers live in unhygienic conditions in city slums.

Economic

According to World Bank projections, climate change will push 130 million more people into poverty over the next ten years. In India, climate change continues to have a major impact on the economy. Scientists at Stanford estimate that climate change has reduced India’s economic growth by 31 percent. Most of the poorest countries are considerably poorer than they would have been without climate change.

For an already warm country like India, increased temperatures have had a tangible impact on the economy. Combined with India’s growing population and an already large, economically impoverished population, an external economic obstacle like climate change will be disastrous in the future unless solutions are soon found to address the consequences.

Poor Air Quality

Climate change also impacts air quality. For example, longer warm seasons can mean longer pollen seasons which increases allergic reactions and related asthma issues. Severe cold weather demands a higher need for heating, and the use of fossil fuels causes further pollution. Recently, several news outlets, including the New York Times, reported on Delhi’s incredibly poor air quality. In total, 90 percent of India’s urban population lives in areas where air quality is below World Health Organization standards. Coal-fired power plants, large polluting factories, and the growing number of vehicles on the road are among the major sources of the country’s poor air quality. India’s acute man-made air pollution further worsens the impact of climate change.

These conditions reduce worker productivity and classroom attendance of students due to illnesses. Increased temperatures also mean increased ground-level ozone and particulate matter air pollution. Over time, pollution diminishes lung function and increases hospital admissions and premature deaths.

Food and Water Insecurity

For economically vulnerable people, especially in less developed countries like India, access to nutritious food is a worrying issue. When compounded by the scarcity of food due to climate-related factors, sizable waves of migration and civil unrest are the likely outcome. If migrations occur from farming regions, food insecurity could become even more widespread.

Desertification is creating severe and pressing concerns about sufficient drinking water. Parts of India that used to have an adequate water supply now see trains delivering water daily to meet shortages. For cattle farmers, water scarcity is life-threatening for their herds. This situation can often lead to farmers hopelessly losing many of their livestock or needing to sell them at low prices.

Conflict

Research by Stanford University and other institutions has shown that climate change appears to be one of several contributing factors that correlate with increased conflict. Increasing competition for limited natural resources, higher food prices, geopolitical tension, terrorist recruitment, and migration are all potential outcomes of climate change.

Just this year, the Bay of Bengal coastline faced several ethnic separatist movements triggered by resource clashes as a consequence of disastrous floods, deadly heat waves, and devastating cyclones. As sea levels rise, many of these areas will disappear, causing considerable economic losses to hundreds of millions of people. It’s estimated that rising sea levels alone could impact nearly 40 million Indians in the coming few decades.

Like much of the global south that has generally warmer temperatures, India is already facing tremendous challenges because of the often dangerous and changing weather patterns. These conditions will continue to worsen if climate change is not addressed by governments and global leadership. If extreme weather conditions grow in intensity as predicted, India and the rest of the world may face pandemics far more severe and long-lasting than what was brought on by COVID-19.