India advocates for climate adaptation focus at COP30 while reducing its own funding for related initiatives.

The devastating impact of climate change is starkly evident in Indian-administered Kashmir, where heavy rains led to deadly landslides that obliterated entire homes and communities. Residents, such as Shabir Ahmad, are grappling with the loss of their life’s work and the essential comforts of home, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive climate adaptation strategies. As India faces increasingly frequent natural disasters, the plight of those affected highlights both the immediate human cost and the larger narrative surrounding governmental accountability in addressing climate-related challenges.

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Indian-administered Kashmir has recently witnessed catastrophic landslides, driven by relentless rainfall, that have claimed homes and livelihoods. On September 2, Shabir Ahmad’s residence in Sarh village of Reasi district was engulfed by a landslide, washing away years of hard work. “I had been building my house brick by brick since 2016,” Ahmad lamented, reflecting on the unfathomable loss his family has faced.

Ahmad’s home was among nearly 20 properties lost to the Chenab River that night, and families watched helplessly as their farmlands and invaluable possessions vanished. Residing in a government school with his family and other villagers who have been displaced, Ahmad expressed a pressing concern: “We don’t even have one inch of land left to stand on.” This tragedy is emblematic of a broader trend of climate-related disasters in India, which have disrupted the lives and displaced millions over the past decade.

According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), between 2015 and 2024, more than 32 million people in India were displaced due to climate disasters, with a record 5.4 million displacements occurring in just 2024 alone. The frequency and intensity of such events highlight India’s vulnerability, placing it among the top three nations impacted by internal displacements resulting from climate change, alongside China and the Philippines.

In 2024, the initial months saw over 160,000 individuals displaced due to extreme weather conditions. A considerable influx of rain has exacerbated flooding across the nation, inundating hundreds of villages and cities. In light of these challenges, India’s Ministry for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change established the National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC) in 2015, aiming to finance projects that enhance resilience to climate threats, including floods and landslides.

During a recent roundtable ahead of the 30th United Nations climate change conference, India’s environment minister emphasized the importance of transforming climate promises into concrete actions that improve the lives of vulnerable communities. Yet, the financial reality paints a stark contrast; funding for the NAFCC dwindled significantly in the past two years. From an average allocation of .3 million, spending fell to just .47 million in the fiscal year 2022-2023, leading to stalled projects aimed at helping those at risk.

The Indian government, while pushing for increased adaptation financing on an international stage, faces criticism for its reduced domestic support. Activists, such as Raja Muzaffar Bhat from Kashmir, argue that the government’s actions do not align with its rhetoric. “Announcing lofty adaptation goals abroad while starving the fund that safeguards our own citizens is misleading and a moral failure,” he asserted. The government’s shift in strategy has left communities like Ahmad’s vulnerable, as climate crises continue to displace and destroy.

In places like Bihar and Odisha, the situation is similarly dire. Residents are forced to migrate as natural disasters destroy their homes and livelihoods. Affected individuals, due to inadequate support and rapidly changing climate patterns, find themselves displaced time and again.

In conclusion, the devastating scenario facing individuals in Indian-administered Kashmir, alongside those throughout the country, underscores the urgent need for both robust climate action and the commitment to protect vulnerable communities. As the climate crisis intensifies, the response from both government and society will determine the future resilience of these populations against natural disasters. The recurring theme of displacement driven by climate change reveals not only environmental challenges but also a pressing societal obligation to safeguard affected communities.

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