SOCIAL SECURITY IN THE AGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE: TOWARDS RESILIENCE AND INCLUSION

AUTHOR – ISHITA SHARMA* & DR KHALEEQ AHMAD**

* STUDENT AT LAW COLLEGE DEHRADUN, UTTARANCHAL UNIVERSITY

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT LAW COLLEGE DEHRADUN, UTTARANCHAL UNIVERSITY, DEHRADUN

BEST CITATION – ISHITA SHARMA & DR KHALEEQ AHMAD, SOCIAL SECURITY IN THE AGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE: TOWARDS RESILIENCE AND INCLUSION, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (7) OF 2025, PG. 652-658, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344

ABSTRACT

Natural disasters and slow environmental deterioration are just two of the effects of the growing climate crisis that are upsetting livelihoods, uprooting communities, and driving vulnerable groups farther into poverty. Conventional social security systems, which were largely created for welfare-state or industrial economies, are becoming more and more out of step with the new realities of a world afflicted by climate change. This article examines how the demands on social protection frameworks are changing due to climate change and evaluates how prepared the current systems are to adapt.

It highlights inequalities, innovations, and reform prospects by contrasting India’s social security systems with those of nations like Bangladesh, Germany, and Kenya. The study illustrates the disparities in how nations are incorporating climate concerns into their social systems by comparing India, Bangladesh, Germany, and Kenya. Schemes like MGNREGA and PM-KISAN have helped India make strides, but they are still insufficient to address the country’s growing climate vulnerability, particularly for internal migrants and informal laborers.

According to the essay, social security policies need to be redesigned to focus on preventive and adaptive measures rather than reactive relief since climate change must be seen as a fundamental socioeconomic risk. It urges a paradigm change from immediate disaster relief to long-term resilience building, stressing the necessity of portable benefits, disbursements related to early warning, and the engagement of communities impacted by climate change in policymaking. By doing this, the study provides a road map for creating welfare systems that are climate-proof and maintain justice, equity, and dignity in the face of environmental instability.