Environment & Urbanization

World leading environmental and urban studies journal

Climate change, livelihoods and health inequities: the vulnerability of migrant workers in Indian cities

Author(s): 
Sunil D Santha, Surinder Jaswal, Devisha Sasidevan, Kaushik Datta, Ajmal Khan, Annu Kuruvilla

Publisher: 
International Institute for Environment and Development

Year: 
2015

This paper examines the vulnerability of migrant workers in the informal sector in three Indian cities (Kochi, Surat, and Mumbai), specifically in terms of livelihoods, climate change and health inequities. A key assumption is that vulnerability to climate change and infectious diseases is closely embedded within the wider political economy of many migrant workers’ day-to-day livelihood struggles. Using a mixed methodology, data from 50 migrants in each of the three cities were collected using a semi-structured interview schedule. 

The research demonstrates that urban vulnerability is a condition that shapes and reshapes itself continuously and strongly, accompanied by the processes and structures of unplanned rapid urbanization, environmental change and social exclusion. Lack of access to livelihood resources, decision-making structures and power helps push the poor to migrate to the cities. The findings show that exclusion continues in the cities, making migrant workers more vulnerable to climate change and infectious diseases.

The research also shows that a rise in income is not a sole indicator of reduced vulnerability. Lack of access to other essential assets, including reliable and affordable health care, reduces the capacities of migrant workers to deal with extreme climatic events. The paper concludes that migrant workers have very limited opportunities to reduce their vulnerabilities and participate actively in risk reduction and development planning.

 

Available at http://pubs.iied.org/10728IIED.html?c=urban

 

Further reading:

Huq, S, S Kvats, S Reid and D Satterthwaite (2007), “Editorial: Reducing risks to cities from disasters and climate change”, Environment and Urbanization Vol 19, No 1, pages 3–15, available at http://eau.sagepub.com/content/19/1/3.refs.

Patra, J and K Kantariya (2015), “Opportunities to address the emergent disaster risk landscape in urban India”, Asian Cities Climate Resilience policy brief, International Institute for Environment and Development”, London, available at http://pubs.iied.org/10726IIED.html?k=acccrn.

Revi, A (2008), “Climate change risk: an adaptation and mitigation agenda for Indian cities”, Environment and Urbanization Vol 20, No 1, pages 207–229, available at http://eau.sagepub.com/content/20/1/207.

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