Climate change, livelihoods and health inequities
Research Report
Climate change, livelihoods and health inequities: The vulnerability of migrant workers in Indian cities
SUNIL D. SANTHA
SURINDER JASWAL
DEVISHA SASIDEVAN
KAUSHIK DATTA
AJMAL KHAN
ANNU KURUVILLA
Copyright Date: Apr. 1, 2015
Published by: International Institute for Environment and Development
Pages: 64
OPEN ACCESS
https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep01310
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  1. Front Matter
    Front Matter (pp. None)
  2. About the authors
    About the authors (pp. 2-2)
  3. Acronyms
    Acronyms (pp. 2-2)
  4. Table of Contents
    Table of Contents (pp. 3-3)
  5. List of figures
    List of figures (pp. 4-4)
  6. Abstract
    Abstract (pp. 5-5)
  7. 1 Introduction
    1 Introduction (pp. 6-6)

    In India, climate change, together with urbanisation, is predicted to increase the rate of population migration from remote agrarian villages and hazard prone regions of the country to the cities (Kumar and Viswanathan, 2013; Raleigh et al., 2008; Deshingkar and Akter, 2009). The primary assumption of this paper is that the poor and migrant workers in Indian cities are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as rises in temperature, precipitation and heavy rainfall, flooding and water logging, storm surges, as well as health risks, such as the outbreak of infectiou s diseases.

    The research outlined in this...

  8. 2 The political economy of vulnerability
    2 The political economy of vulnerability (pp. 7-8)

    The vulnerability of a population can be understood as the ability of individuals, households, social groups and communities to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from, or adapt to any shocks or external stress placed on their livelihoods and wellbeing (Kelly and Adger, 2000). Such an understanding emphasises the need to focus on the socio-economic and institutional constraints that limit the capacity of society to respond to shocks and uncertainties. This definition also places resource availability and entitlements of individuals and groups to access and avail these resources at the centre of any research on social vulnerability and adaptation (ibid)....

  9. 3 Field setting and methodology
    3 Field setting and methodology (pp. 9-10)

    This paper is based on extensive research carried out amongst migrant workers in Surat, Kochi and Mumbai. These cities were selected based on a certain primary understanding of (i) migration characteristics, (ii) health challenges and (iii) climate uncertainties as explained below. Mumbai city in the state of Maharashtra is characterised by a very high rural-urban migration rate, and most of the migrant workers are found in the informal sector. As per the Census of India (2001), there were 2,489,552 in-migrants in Mumbai, which meant that 15.1 per cent of the city’s population were in-migrants. These live in unsafe conditions in...

  10. 4 Migration, vulnerability and urban livelihoods
    4 Migration, vulnerability and urban livelihoods (pp. 11-29)

    Urban vulnerability is shaped by several important factors, including socio-economic conditions, housing conditions, institutional and power relations, and challenges posed by population pressure and climate change impacts (Parvin et al., 2013). Urban informal settlements are a space where physical and social vulnerability coincide, and caste-based exclusion was found to be a major determinant of vulnerability (Bosher et al., 2007). The urban poor are also exposed to multiple risks amidst severe environmental, economic, political, and social constraints (Moser and Satterthwaite, 2010). Such factors also restrict access to resources necessary for social wellbeing, with implications for adaptive capacity (Parvin et al., 2013)....

  11. 5 Climatic hazard events and urban livelihoods
    5 Climatic hazard events and urban livelihoods (pp. 30-33)

    This section analyses the migrant workers’ experiences and perceptions of climate change and its impacts. It explores the perception of migrants on climate related disturbances that they have faced in the city over the last 10 years, and the impact of climate variability on their livelihoods.

    Migrants who were surveyed across the three cities perceived climatic disturbances and variability in terms of flooding and water logging due to heavy rains (23 per cent), flood induce d displacement from city homes (19 per cent) and an increase in the duration of summer months (11 per cent) (Figure 13). Interestingly, 12 per...

  12. 6 Climate change, infectious diseases and health inequities in cities
    6 Climate change, infectious diseases and health inequities in cities (pp. 34-40)

    From the findings presented earlier in this study, it is evident that a rise in infectious diseases and pest inf ections are an important indicator and consequence of climate change in the cities. This section examines the nature of health inequities that migrants face in their day-to-day life. Subsequently, we attempt to infer the implications of these inequities in the context of population vulnerability to climate change. We also examine the diverse factors that make migrants vulnerable to both climate change and infectious diseases.

    Climate change affects health in numerous ways, from the direct consequences of an increase in waterborne...

  13. 7 Conclusion
    7 Conclusion (pp. 41-42)

    This paper has examined the progression of vulnerability to climate change and infectious diseases among migrant workers in three cities in India. Analysis of the transition and dynamics in vulnerability has been approached from a political economy perspective. A significant feature of migrant workers’ vulnerability is its dual structure: firstly, a lack of access to resources and decision-making structures results in the vulnerability context. Secondly, the resulting vulnerability context widens the equity gap, reinforcing and perpetuating the structures and processes inducing vulnerability. The duality and dynamic nature of vulnerability also shows the interface between the root cause, dynamic pressures and...

  14. References
    References (pp. 43-45)
  15. Annex 1: Semi-Structured Interview Schedule
    Annex 1: Semi-Structured Interview Schedule (pp. 46-63)
  16. Back Matter
    Back Matter (pp. 64-64)