Rising Sea Level and India's Eroding Coastline

Gist The UN General Assembly has adopted its first-ever declaration on rising sea levels, establishing that nations losing their land to the sea will retain their statehood and maritime boundaries. This fundamental shift in international law protects sinking island nations and strategically benefits India by securing the exclusive economic zones around its offshore islands. For a UPSC aspirant, this development is crucial as it highlights the urgent need for India to update its static coastal regulation policies and create legal frameworks for climate-induced displacement. Background Under the 1933 Montevideo Convention , a State is defined by four criteria: a permanent population, a defined territory, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. Historically, international law was silent on whether a country ceases to exist if rising seas swallow its "defined territory" or scatter its "permanent population." Global sea-level rise is accelerating; the World Meteorological Organization notes the rate doubled from 2.1 mm a year 1993-2002 to 4.7 mm a year 2015-2024 . Domestically, coastal development in India is governed by the 2019 Coastal Regulation Zone CRZ…