How is climate change related to refugees?

Posted by Focus on Arts and Ecology on - -

Earlier this year, Cyclone Idai struck Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, causing widespread devastation and displacement.

Are you joining the global climate strike?

Tomorrow, millions around the world will leave school, work and home to march peacefully in a global climate strike. This is before world leaders meet at the UN Climate Action Summit next week to discuss their latest plans, including reducing emissions.

We’re not a climate change organisation, so why am I sending this email? Because climate change and displacement are undeniably connected.

How is climate change related to refugees?

Every year, millions are forcibly displaced by extreme weather events – such as drought, floods and wildfire. These events are happening more often and with greater force, leaving refugee populations especially vulnerable.

Climate change is also a “threat multiplier” in many of today’s conflicts, from Iraq to Syria to Darfur and Somalia. It can sow the seeds for conflict, and also make displacement much worse when it happens.

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UNHCR is committed to raising awareness of climate change as a driver of displacement and working to improve the sustainability of our operations, such as:

Reducing the impact of refugee settlements, such as solar powered electricity or tree-planting to counter land degradation.

Supporting legal advocacy to inform the development of rights for people displaced by disasters and climate change.

Calling for disaster displacement to be prioritised in future policy planning and humanitarian coordination.

As we continue to see the adverse effects of climate change, supporters like you enable us to be on the ground around the world, responding to the impacts of climate change on refugees and global displacement.

Climate change may make our work more difficult, but your support makes it possible.

If you’re taking to the streets tomorrow, please remember to stand with refugees – and demand climate justice for EVERYONE.

Thank you.