Virtual Launch of the Study: “Locked Houses, Fallow Lands: Climate Change and Migration in Uttarakhand, India”

The study "Locked Houses, Fallow Lands: Climate Change and Migration in Uttarakhand, India" will be presented by its lead author Himani Upadhyay (PIK), followed by a panel discussion with experts from the Uttarakhand State Environment Conservation and Climate Change Directorate; TERI; Kumaun University and UN ESCAP, India. The group of experts will deliberate on the research and policy aspects of climate change and migration in Uttarakhand, India. 

The report focuses on climate change and migration linkages in Uttarakhand, India and is a joint publication of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research (PIK) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India, under the EPICC project. It provides an integrated assessment, employing the latest climate data to arrive at granular environmental risks and the impacts thereof, on migration conditions. It particularly explores the role of agriculture to understand climate-migration linkages. The report includes a hotspot map outlining projected climate change effects, projected climate extremes, impacts on agriculture, migration indicators and population density. Like the risk reports for Peru and Tanzania, this joint PIK-TERI report combines the expertise of social and natural scientists from EPICC and its partners.

The report is divided into 7 chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the report and its key focus. Chapter 2 gives an overview of Uttarakhand, which describes trends in its economy, population (and depopulation), poverty, regional inequalities, and the human development index since the state’s formation in 2000. Chapter 3 focuses on climate change variability and vulnerability in Uttarakhand – including rainfall and temperature trends and projections, extreme weather events, and a discussion of vulnerability. An analysis of migration follows in chapter 4, including historical trends, current patterns, reasons for migration, migrant destinations, permanent and non-permanent movements, uninhabited villages, and depopulation. After considering the evidence on climate change trends and migration patterns, chapter 5 analyses the linkages between climate change and migration with a focus on agriculture. Chapter 6 discusses existing policy frameworks in the context of migration. Lastly, in chapter 7, gaps in research, data needs, and priorities are outlined as policy recommendations.

The event will take place on the 25^th of March, 2021, at 10.00 CET /14.30 IST

Please find the detailed agenda here.

To attend the online event please register here.

The publication will be released on TERI web page dedicated to the  EPICC project after the launch of the study. In the meantime, you can find the Executive Summary of the report here.