A recent report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees exposed the double-edged sword that refugees face between climate-related displacement and violent conflict inside their own countries.
What's Happening?
Climate shocks, or abnormal environmental patterns including floods, drought, heat waves, and other extreme weather events, interact with conflicts in regions like Sudan, Somalia, and Myanmar to push refugees into increasingly dire situations, as The Hindu detailed.
"Across our warming world, drought, floods, life-threatening heat and other extreme weather events are creating emergencies with alarming frequency," UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said in the foreword to the report.
"People forced to flee their homes are on the front lines of this crisis," Grandi added, noting that 75% of these refugees live in developing countries where exposure to climate-related hazards is considered high to extreme.
Funding is also scarce for those who need it most, with the most fragile states receiving around $2 per person in annual adaptation money, compared to $161 per person in less vulnerable states.
Why is this situation so important?
The UNHCR report detailed that a record 120 million people have been forcibly displaced due to violent conflicts, while at the same time, around 220 million have had to relocate within their own countries due to weather-related disasters.
Global temperatures have been soaring for at least the past decade, with 2023 marking the hottest year on record, according to a study by the Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
"Not only was 2023 the warmest year in NOAA's 174-year climate record — it was the warmest by far," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Chief Scientist Sarah Kapnick.
"A warming planet means we need to be prepared for the impacts of climate change that are happening here and now, like extreme weather events that become both more frequent and severe."
🗣️ Do you think America is in a housing crisis?
🔘 Definitely 🙁
🔘 Not sure 🤷🏽♂️
🔘 No way 🏘️
🔘 Only in some cities 🏙️
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Those living in low-income countries are being pushed to the breaking point between social turmoil and inescapable climate-driven disasters.
They're also moving to remote locations that are frequently "in the desert, in areas which are prone to flooding, in places without necessary infrastructure to deal with the increasing impacts of climate change," said Andrew Harper, UNHCR's special advisor on climate action, per The Hindu.
"We are seeing across the board, a hellish situation become even tougher," he explained.
What's being done about this crisis?
The recent meeting of nations at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, has made some progress in earmarking funds for countries that need it most, pledging $300 billion by 2035. There was also a looser call to raise $1.3 trillion through various sources, including private investment.
UNHCR also has a series of objectives to reach by 2030, from protecting those most vulnerable, to helping transition areas to more sustainable, climate-smart services.
"For us, climate change is not an abstract threat. It is a daily fight for survival, stability and dignity," as Najeeba Wazefadost, a member of Refugees for Climate Action, shared, per the UNHCR.
"We urge leaders to listen to our stories and to take decisive action that includes us, supports our resilience and empowers refugee-led solutions."
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
