Climate change is threatening livelihoods and forcing people to move from their homes across South Asia, and in a worst-case scenario, up to 40.5m people in South Asia may be forced to move by 2050, according to International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
In a media interaction with AFP in New Delhi, IOM Director General Ms Amy Pope said the rising seas, flooding and drought threaten homes and farmland but technology and government action could help limit the damage.
She said better data and AI could help governments identify communities at risk before disaster strikes. “With the advancements in AI forecasting, you can now better anticipate those communities that are at high risk of displacement,” said Ms Pope.
By combining weather forecasts with information about local livelihoods, authorities can identify which communities most need help. If you know a community is at risk, we don’t need to wait until they’re displaced to respond. Measures could include improving farming methods, training people for other jobs and, where necessary, relocating communities repeatedly hit by floods or drought.
Ms Pope was in India on an official visit recently. She said, “When people can’t produce food, when they can’t feed their livestock, it increases the likelihood of displacement. The first adaptation is often for people to move.” She said climate change is also accelerating urbanisation in India.
Ms Pope said India’s technological capacity could also help its workers compete internationally as AI reshapes employment. She said AI could threaten some jobs, particularly those involving routine analysis of documents and reports, but other sectors still rely heavily on human labour.
“If we can marry that capacity with the labour mobility, so that the workers are being skilled for those jobs as they’re emerging, they will be ahead.
The risks are particularly acute in South Asia, where vast populations and limited resources leave many communities vulnerable. Ms Pope said, “There’s a lack of urgency globally about the risks that vulnerable communities are facing and the funding to help residents prepare for climate change remains inadequate.