Climate Chaos: Navigating the Dual Challenge Faced by Migrant Workers in Bengaluru, India

The research conducted in Bengaluru, Karnataka, in India, delves into the critical issue of climate migration and its profound consequences on migrant workers. Through a mixed-methods approach involving structured surveys and Focus Group Discussions in 11 migrant communities, the study sheds light on the challenges faced by migrants due to climate-induced migration. The findings highlight the urgent need for enhanced worker protection, encompassing social security, entitlements and the promotion of safe migration practices as adaptive and resilient strategies. The study found that a significant proportion of migrant workers in Bengaluru were driven to migrate due to climate-related impacts on agrarian livelihoods in their source locations, such as declining agriculture production and lack of alternative livelihood options. Migrant workers in Bengaluru faced challenges related to heat stress, with 74% reporting impacts on their health and work due to rising temperatures. The research highlighted the need for enhanced resilience systems and support mechanisms such as specific social protection measures, both climate and non-climate related for migrant workers to navigate the dual challenges of climate change at both source and destination locations. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on climate resilience and underscores the importance of collaborative efforts and increase the invest in more adaptation and resilience among stakeholders to address the dual challenge faced by migrant workers in the face of climate chaos.