Climate-induced displacement is one of the most complex challenges for contemporary environmental governance, especially in ecologically fragile and densely inhabited wetlands. This study examines Kuttanad, a unique agro-ecological zone below sea level in Kerala, to demonstrate that displacement is not driven solely by floods, salinity, or sea-level rise, but more critically by failures of local governance. Drawing on empirical fieldwork, policy analysis, and insights from political ecology and climate governance, this study argues that displacement is a slow, cumulative outcome of technocratic planning, weak institutional coordination, and the exclusion of small farmers, fisherfolk, and women from decision-making processes. Introducing the concept of governance-induced displacement, the paper demonstrates how political and bureaucratic practices exacerbate climate risks and drive communities out of their habitats. Critiquing interventions like the Kuttanad Development Package illustrates how adaptation without accountability can exacerbate vulnerability. The study advocates for ecosystem-based, participatory, and socially just climate governance that ensures the right to live with dignity and security.
Aravind et al. (Thu,) studied this question.