ABSTRACT
Climate change communication is essential in all countries; however, a developing country like India has not fully embraced its importance. This chapter focuses on Kolkata, the fourth most vulnerable city to sea-level rise in India. It examines the compounded adverse effect of physical vulnerability that Kolkata faces from sea-level rise and accelerating subsidence rates. Sociocultural dimensions are also considered as Kolkata is the third least prepared Asian city to adapt to climate change and faces a potential influx of climate migrants from Bangladesh and the Sundarbans. Existing legal frameworks for climate adaptation and climate migration at the national level and in West Bengal reveal gaps and limitations. Insights from law and policy experts from South Asia on climate migration and members of the Indian media explore current legal and sociocultural implications of the challenges. The media in Kolkata cover potential threats like sea-level rise; however, they do not emphasize the importance of migration from these vulnerable coastal areas. The chapter proposes using agenda-setting theory and narrative paradigm from the communication field to raise awareness of and increase public commitment to this growing crisis. It also recommends strategies to strengthen media effects to enhance climate communication to address the risk of forced migration.
