As 2023 draws to a close, the echo of climate change reverberates. We’ve witnessed extreme weather events, from heatwaves to devastating floods, landslides, and cyclones, raising a question. Is it climate migration or is it climate abandonment?

Migration has always been a part of human history, but what we’re witnessing now is different. It’s not just the quest for a better life but the forced exodus from lands uninhabitable by extreme weather events led by climate change.

It is more relevant to write this blog on the anniversary of the 2004 Tsunami that hit the east-south coast of the country. As an individual involved in the rescue and rehab operations in Tamil Nadu, I have the misfortune of watching people fight to rebuild their lives post-tsunami. And that Tsunami triggered migration to safer heavens post-tragedy.

Today, the scale and frequency of these disasters leave little room for optimism. However, the scope of climate abandonment transcends individual disasters. It’s the creeping realization that entire regions are becoming uninhabitable due to floods, heatwaves, cyclones, and landslides. These “extreme conditions” push people to choose to leave or perish.

And while data may still catch up, the ground stories speak volumes and raise crucial questions like: 1) Is India, or any nation, prepared to handle mass climate-driven abandonment? 2) How do we support communities uprooted by climate chaos? 3) What are the long-term impacts of these deserted landscapes?

These are not just statistical questions; they’re human. We need data, stories, and diverse perspectives to understand the complexities of climate abandonment.

Let’s talk about this. Share your stories, ideas, and info in the face of this unprecedented challenge. Collaboration and innovation are our only hope.

Together, we can turn abandonment and migration into a catalyst for adaptation, not a story of despair. So, let’s make 2024 a year of awareness and action.