Climate Change, Migration and Local Vulnerabilities in the Indus Delta, Pakistan

Abstract

This research study investigates the interlink between climate change and human migration in the Indus Delta, Pakistan. It explores how climate change influences the migration of local fisher and farmer communities in the deltaic region of Sindh province. The objective of the paper is to explore: What are the key climatic factors that result in the migration of the local fishers and farmers of the Indus Delta? This study uses ethnographic methods, including interviews and focus group discussions (FDGs), along with a review of published articles to investigate how climate change has become an important factor in the migration of local communities. The findings suggest that in the past two decades, the deltaic region of Pakistan has experienced large-scale human migration due to the uneven rainfall patterns, reduced flow of freshwater from the Indus River, drought, changes in weather patterns, and a rise in the frequency of natural disasters, including coastal flooding and intense cyclones. The research recommends exploring the interplay of climatic and social factors triggering migration and changing the socio-economic dynamics of the local communities.