Socioeconomic, political factors make Sindh people vulnerable to hazards 

Coastal communities in Sindh increasingly at risk from climate change, study warns

KARACHI (May 24, 2021) Coastal communities are increasingly at risk from the negative impacts of climate change, including more intense storms, floods, coastal erosion, and sea intrusion warns a recent research report.

The research titled “Climate change displacement and local solutions in coastal communities in Sindh, Pakistan” is conducted by Dorien Braam, University of Cambridge and Love Kumar, University of Florida.

“Socioeconomic and political factors make people vulnerable to these hazards, with disasters causing significant land and livelihood loss, ultimately resulting in displacement,” the study said.

This paper presents some of the findings of a qualitative study conducted in 2019-2020 in Sindh province, to better understand people’s vulnerabilities, agency, and responses to the risks of climate change, disasters and displacement.

“We discuss the main determinants and pathways to climate change related displacement of coastal communities, and introduce some of the adaptive responses which strengthen displaced people’s agency against ongoing threats” the researchers said.

Two researchers from two renowned universities says, “Climate change displacement in Sindh’s coastal zone is a gradual and complex process, consisting of a mix of temporary and permanent, forced and voluntary migration.

“A generation ago, the communities were displaced from locations now submerged by the sea. Further sea level rise and poor Indus river water management affect both the environment and the communities’ main livelihoods of fishing and agriculture.”

The study said, living on the margins, they have little influence on these high-level global and regional environmental and political processes.

The report pointed out that providing basic infrastructure and schools Supported by sufficient resources, improved policies and institutional frameworks increasing the organised role of communities are imperative in durable solutions to further climate change related displacement by enhancing adaptive capacity in current locations, as well as supporting safe onwards migration.