Climate Change Could Displace 40.5 Million People in South Asia by 2050, Warns Iftikhar Ali Malik

*LAHORE, November 1 (3D Media):* Former President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Iftikhar Ali Malik, has called for timely regional cooperation to address the growing threat of climate-induced displacement in South Asia, warning that millions of people could be forced to leave their homes as environmental pressures intensify.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, he said the threat was particularly serious in South Asia, where weak regional cooperation could undermine coordinated efforts to tackle the consequences of climate change. Without joint preparations, climate-induced migration could become another major source of regional instability in the coming years.

He said regional cooperation in climate forecasting, disaster management and population displacement could help countries anticipate common challenges and prepare effective responses. The key challenge, he added, was to ensure that people forced to migrate due to climate change could rebuild their lives and secure sustainable livelihoods in new locations.

Iftikhar Ali Malik stressed that Pakistan must make climate mobility a permanent consideration in its development planning. Provincial and local governments need reliable data about vulnerable areas and the services required to support affected populations during relocation and resettlement.

He said land-use policies, affordable housing, vocational training, education and healthcare facilities must be aligned with changing population patterns to ensure that displaced communities can settle in safer locations and regain economic stability.

He pointed out that climate pressures, ranging from rising sea levels and vulnerable coastlines in Bangladesh to drought-hit districts in Pakistan, were threatening the livelihoods of millions of people across the region.

Referring to warnings by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Malik said climate change could force approximately 40.5 million people to leave their homes by 2050, potentially triggering large-scale displacement across South Asia as some areas become increasingly difficult to inhabit.

He said the warning deserved serious attention, particularly because South Asia was already struggling with poverty, overcrowded cities, unemployment and growing competition for limited resources.

He emphasized that coordinated regional planning and timely policy interventions were essential to managing future climate-related migration and preventing it from aggravating existing economic and social challenges.