Climate change is creating another refugee crisis

by Donelle Bomont

Picture a world engulfed in fires, hurricanes, and flooding. A world where people don’t have access to food and water, and where animals go extinct. This is unfortunately not part of a dystopian novel, but our current reality. The Australian bush fires, flooding in India, typhoons in the Phillippines–just three of many examples of climate-related disasters in the past two years. Climate change is one of the biggest problems we are currently facing and is quickly becoming an even greater threat. On this Earth Day, we want to highlight an issue that is a direct result of the climate crisis and is becoming a regular part of our reality– climate refugees. 

When we think of a refugee, we think of people fleeing wars or conflicts of some kind. But displacement from the climate crisis is becoming a major reason why people have to flee their homes. Developing countries are disproportionately affected by climate change in comparison to the rest of the world and they are already facing the disastrous effects of rising temperatures and extreme distress from natural disasters. At the same time, these countries also receive less support for climate issues which in turn increase the risk of people needing to leave their homes to find a safer place to live.

Climate change has negative effects on health, the economy, and the overall livelihoods of humans and animals. It can also cause the spread of disease, rise in sea levels and major natural disasters. Looking at this list of effects it is no surprise that we could see a massive rise in people fleeing their countries to avoid these life-threatening impacts. According to the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), an international thinktank, we should expect an influx of 1.2 billion people displaced due to climate change by 2050, both within their own regions and across other countries, most of which would come from developing countries. Developing countries often deal with higher temperatures and are more affected by water and food shortages, a primary effect of the climate crisis. Indeed, although these countries have contributed very little to the climate crisis, they will be experiencing its worst effects. 

So why is it important to understand to think about climate refugees right now? At the moment, climate change is not a legitimate reason to claim asylum. As it stands, the intensity of the situation is not fully recognised even by the UN, which could mean that the magnitude of the crisis is downplayed. It is crucial that we acknowledge the scale of the climate crisis and how many people it is affecting and will affect in the future. Above all, the UK must ensure that anyone seeking safety gets the help and support they need. 

Our responses to the climate crisis directly affect people and our inaction will contribute to a crisis that will displace people not because of war and conflict, but because of the impacts of climate change. This will no doubt be one of the biggest challenges of our times, one that is starting now. On this Earth Day, we mustn’t forget the countless people who are becoming victims of climate change. And we should reflect not only on our roles in protecting the environment, but also push for a recognition that the effects of climate change are a real reason why people might be forced to leave their homes and countries.

You can find more information about climate refugees by visiting: https://www.climate-refugees.org/