Climate change is causing huge disruption to the lives of millions around the globe. One of the most worrying and increasingly pressing of these impacts is climate-induced displacement—when people are forced to leave their homes due to unsustainable living conditions caused by the climate crisis. This paper will look at why climate-induced displacement is such a significant issue and, most notably, what can be done to help those affected.
Table of Contents
An Increasingly Important Issue
Climate migration and inequality is a phenomenon that has been described as a “slow onset disaster”, one whose long-term effects are still only just being fully understood. Previous research has demonstrated how no two regions are affected in the same way, with some becoming more susceptible to extreme weather events such as floods, hurricanes, and droughts, and others facing the less severe but more relentless issue of gradual sea level rise.
Unfortunately, it is commonly the poorest and most vulnerable populations who feel the effects of climate-induced displacement more so than others. Low-lying or coastal communities—often living off land and sea—are particularly at risk. In Bangladesh for example, 1.2 million refugees have fled their homes in recent years due to sea level rise, making it the most affected country from climate displacement.
The Causes and Effects of Climate-induced Displacement
The number of people affected by climate-induced displacement is ever-increasing, and it has serious implications for the individuals and communities who are uprooted from their homes. It is not only the environmental impact of their relocation which has a draining effect—the displacement also affects their resources, access to education and healthcare, cultural heritage and traditions, and their sense of belonging.
The causes of climate-induced displacement are well-documented, but perhaps less known is that the effects are wide-reaching. No longer just an issue for the local communities affected, climate displacement is also a global problem, as refugees from affected countries are welcomed, or pushed, into neighbouring countries. As the effects of climate change become increasingly severe, more people are being forced to leave their homes, and the global community’s response to adapting to the numbers must be considered.
What Needs To Be Done?
Climate-induced displacement can be viewed as both inevitable and preventable. In some cases, the situation has been greatly exacerbated by mismanagement of land resources or a lack of preparedness for extreme weather events, making displacement the only feasible option for those living on the land. In such instances, climate-induced displacement could have been avoided if appropriate measures had been taken.
Research is ongoing in the area of tackling climate change and adapting to its consequences, both at the local and global level. Implementing changes on an international level—through improved policy and regulations—is of paramount importance in addressing the issue of climate-induced displacement, in addition to providing assistance at local level, for instance through more robust emergency planning systems.
Conclusion
The impacts of climate change on people’s lives is far-reaching, none so more than with climate-induced displacement. Such displacement is causing chaos around the world, uprooting livelihoods, economies, and peoples’ cultural heritage.
Given the global nature of this issue, sufficient campaigns to raise awareness and subsequent policies to improve asset management and emergency planning systems are crucial in ensuring the impact of climate-induced displacement is minimised and that communities are adequately addressed—both those affected by displacement and those receiving the displaced. If effective action is not taken, the number of those affected by climate-induced displacement will only continue to increase, with disastrous consequences for both affected people and their receiving countries.
In conclusion, climate-induced displacement is an unavoidable yet not unpreventable issue. It is imperative, therefore, that we take the necessary steps to help reduce its effect on the global community.