Climate-Induced Migration and Urban Fragility: Mapping New Displacement Frontiers in South Asia

Abstract

Climate-induced migration has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century, with South Asia experiencing unprecedented levels of environmental displacement. This study examines the complex relationship between climate change, human mobility, and urban fragility across the South Asian region, focusing on how environmental stressors create new patterns of displacement that challenge existing urban infrastructure and governance systems. Through analysis of migration data, climate projections, and urban vulnerability assessments from 2015-2024, this research identifies emerging displacement frontiers and their implications for urban resilience. The findings reveal that climate-induced migration is not merely a rural-to-urban phenomenon but involves complex multi-directional movements that create cascading vulnerabilities in receiving urban areas. The study proposes a framework for understanding urban fragility in the context of climate migration and offers policy recommendations for building adaptive capacity in South Asian cities.