Beyond Borders: the Struggles of Climate Refugees
The Story of Climate Refugees and Displacement
In a world home to 8 billion souls, climate change displaced a record 110 million people in 2023 alone. Disasters — from hurricanes and floods to wildfires — have surged in frequency and ferocity, evidenced by a stark rise in fatalities linked to natural calamities. There is now an urgent call for global action.
The term ‘climate refugees’, though controversial, encapsulates the plight of those forced from their homes by environmental forces beyond their control. The topic of climate refugees is complex, multifaceted, and deeply impactful — there is not yet a clear, internationally accepted definition.
When the Teitiota family fled the tiny Pacific island nation of Kiribati to New Zealand, due to sea level rise, laws dealing with refugees didn’t address the danger — so the government deported them. “No nation in the world has taken the leadership to address this reality, which we face today,” Krish Vignarajah, head of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, told Associated Press. “It’s not an issue that we can punt to 20, 30 years from now.”
Statistics and forecasts offer a stark view of the challenges ahead. According to projections, there could be as many as 1.2 billion climate refugees by 2050 due to extreme weather, rising temperatures, and damaged ecosystems forcing people to abandon their homes. This forecast underscores the urgency of addressing climate migration to support the “world’s forgotten victims” of climate change
Let’s delve into the regions most affected by this crisis and the stark realities their inhabitants face:
Bangladesh-A Testament to Rising Waters: In Bangladesh, the dual threats of extreme weather events and sea-level rise paint a bleak picture for over 35 million coastal inhabitants. Historical data underscores a significant uptrend in the frequency and intensity of hurricanes, with recent decades witnessing a notable increase in cyclone activity, particularly post the mid-1990s. This, coupled with the salinization of freshwater sources, exacerbates the challenges faced by farming communities, propelling them towards urban centers or foreign shores under dire conditions.
Despite government efforts to adapt, many displaced farming communities relocate to urban centers like Dhaka or seek opportunities abroad, often facing challenging living conditions and prolonged journeys, as seen in the plight of Bangladeshi migrants attempting to reach Europe.
The government is trying to provide with solutions, however, in disasters such as rising sea levels that are out of their control, it is difficult to respond to the needs of everyone nationwide.
Afghanistan-Where Climate Meets Conflict: Another area in the world most vulnerable to climate change is Afghanistan. Afghanistan faces severe vulnerability to climate change due to four decades of conflict, hindering its ability to address droughts and water shortages, exacerbating instability and local conflicts over land. The constant conflict in the country in the past four decades has made it difficult for the nation to respond to climate change issues in the country. The conflicts have also decimated the crop yield within the country and now they struggle with finding basic necessities like clean water and food and are forced to leave the country because of their situation. Due to their inability to respond, conflict, drought, and insecurity have driven a third of Afghans from their homes since 2012, with over a million displaced by disasters by the end of 2019, the highest number in any country.
Even before the Taliban takeover, food insecurity was acute, with an estimated 14 million Afghans, or 35 percent of the population, unable to secure enough food. Additionally, 3.2 million children under five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition by the year’s end. Funding cuts post-Taliban takeover have further impeded the crisis response in Afghanistan, with current pledges falling short of meeting the country’s urgent needs to alleviate extreme hunger.
Haiti-Battling Storms and Stability: Haiti is recognized as one of the most climate-vulnerable nations in Latin America and the Caribbean, primarily due to its location in the hurricane belt, which exposes it to frequent and intense extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change. In the aftermath of a devastating 7.2-magnitude earthquake that claimed over 1,400 lives earlier this year, rescue efforts were hindered by Tropical Storm Grace, compounding the destruction with heavy rains.
Haiti has faced a series of weather-related disasters, including Hurricane Matthew in 2016, exacerbating the challenges for the small island nation already grappling with economic hardships and political instability. The aftermath of political turmoil and economic struggles saw over 10,000 Haitians flocking to the US border at Del Rio, Texas, following the earthquake and storm. These economic and political struggles continue to indirectly weaken their ability to respond to the constant natural disaster.
Senegal-Coastal Erosion and Rising Seas: Rising sea levels pose a significant threat to Senegal’s coastal communities, with the UN’s IPCC reporting a yearly rise of 3.5 to four millimeters along the West African coast. With over half of Senegal’s population residing in coastal areas, livelihoods are increasingly jeopardized by encroaching ocean waters, leading to severe flooding and coastal erosion, particularly in cities like St. Louis. By 2080, an estimated 80 percent of St. Louis could be vulnerable to flooding, requiring the relocation of 150,000 people, mirroring the broader risks faced by coastal cities across West Africa, home to 105 million people.
We also need to discontinue the segregation of underdeveloped communities through the use of redlining. Redlining is a discriminatory practice that sections off certain areas that have a certain number of minorities in the area. These areas are shown to receive slower and less help during times during and after a natural disaster. The repercussions of redlining extend beyond economic disparities, affecting environmental health and access to green spaces. Communities in historically redlined areas are more susceptible to air, water, and noise pollution, contributing to health problems such as cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, and reproductive health disorders.
The plight of climate refugees highlights a critical need for organized solutions and global cooperation. Infrastructure deficiencies and discriminatory practices like redlining exacerbate vulnerabilities, making it imperative to address the climate crisis through collective action and support for underdeveloped communities. Climate change is out of the hands of the individual and needs to be tackled as a group through the creation of organized solutions against the consequences of climate change.
