The Impact of Climate Change on the Rural Poor of Orissa, India: Human Suffering and Distress Migration

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This paper will focus on social, economic and environmental cost of climate change from the humanitarian point of view. Climate change is predicted to deepen poverty both directly and indirectly. The direct impacts include the loss of life, livelihoods, assets, infrastructure, etc., from climatic extreme events. The indirect effect is due to the effect on economic growth; continuing climate change variation is predicted to alter the sectoral origins of growth, including the ability of the poor to engage in the non-farm sector, as well as increase inequality, and therefore to reduce the poverty elasticity of growth. This could nullify the pro-poor potential of macroeconomic policies, trade and private sector investment.

Climatic variations multiply the vulnerability of poor people by adversely affecting their health and livelihoods and jeopardizing growth opportunities vital for poverty reduction. In many poor countries, climate change has tremendously aggravated water stress, enhanced food insecurity.

The poorest often have few choices available to adapt to variations in natural conditions; they may not be able to harvest water, move to less stressed regions or provide disaster-resilient infrastructures. Scarcity often means more time spent for arranging food and fuel. Climate change has capacity to undo decades of development and poverty-reduction effort. Climate change can lock-up substantial future development expenditure into disaster recovery rather than poverty reduction.

Degradation of natural resources and erosion of indigenous knowledge systems have made the people most vulnerable and now it has been difficult for them to fight against the menaces like “drought and other climatic disasters” any more. Consequently they have to face a number of problems starting from indebtedness to migration.

The present paper will make an empirical investigation on impact of climate change on rural poors in Orissa.

Stream: Human Impacts

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Doctorate in Economis from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. Worked with FICCI. Working with ActionAid International India since 1996. Emergency Focal Person of ActionAid. Worked as a Member of the State Planning Board, Government of Orissa. Governing Body Member of Orissa State Branch Indian Red Cross, Disaster Unit. Life Member of Red Cross.

M.A and M.Phil in Economics; M.B.A in Human Resource Development; Teaches in University of Culture. Freelance Journalist in Local Newspaper on the issues of Climate Change and its impact on Women and Children