echo Picture this: You rely on farming and agriculture to make a living, harvesting maize to feed the hungry mouths in your family. It’s been this way for generations, the trade of your father, and his father too. The one problem? The sun is scorching the earth furiously, drying the rivers and chasing the rain. The temperatures are higher than they’ve ever been, causing soil to stop yielding to you. It refuses to nurture the seedlings you plant, instead rewarding your hard work with dry desolation. With your livelihood at risk and the threat of starvation looming over your head, the only thing you can do is pack your bags in search of both proverbial and literal greener pastures.
The scene you’ve imagined is not just a story, but the reality of Amburo and her family (“There Was No Rain. We Had to Go” – Surviving Drought and Displacement in Somalia, 2024). This Somalian family are just a few victims of the ongoing climate crisis and members of a group known as climate change refugees.
A displacement camp in Baidoa, Somalia in 2022.
Somalia faces famine as the fourth rainy season fails.
Climate change refugees are not your conventional refugees; they are neither victims of political persecution, discrimination or war. However, they too are forced by extenuating circumstances, in this case climate related, to evacuate their homes and face the reality of displacement. It is estimated that 30 million people are displaced annually due to climate-related disasters, which disproportionately affects the most vulnerable of our global population.
For example, the Philippines was hit by 6 consecutive typhoons between mid-October and late November 2024, a devastating event which killed more than 170 people and evacuated hundreds of thousands. Scientists now agree that this record-breaking amount of typhoons (3 of which were super typhoons, attaining wind speeds of over 185 km/h) was made 70% more likely as a result of global temperature rises of 1.3°C.
A resident inspects a destroyed house in Santa Ana town,
Cagayan province, north of Manila on November 8, 2024 following Typhoon Yinxing.
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) monitors internal displacement, which is the forced movement of people within the borders of their own country, caused by conflict, violence and disasters globally. According to their database, there were a total of 9.8 million people displaced all over the world in 2024 due to disasters, such as wildfires, floods and droughts. This is a sharp increase from 2023, which showed 7.6 million internally displaced people (IDPs).
In 2024, the countries below had the highest number of disaster-driven IDPs:
- Afghanistan : ~1,300,000 due to unprecedented rainfall and flash floods
- Chad : ~ 1,200,000 due to recurrent flooding during rainy season
- Philipines : ~1,000,000 due to recurring typhoons and extreme monsoon rains
- Ethiopia : ~757,000 due to landslides
- Somalia : ~733,000 due to widespread seasonal flooding
As seen in the data above, climate refugees are steadily growing and demand global attention and care. Climate change disproportionately affects countries in the Global South, Middle East and North Africa due to geographical factors and lower wealth, which renders them unequipped to handle the devastating effects that climate disaster has on infrastructure and economic sectors. Without appropriate concern and effort from an international audience, sea levels will continue rising, millions continue to lose their homes and nations sink below the poverty line.
Legal and political gaps:
The term “climate change refugee” is widely used in the media and policy discussions but it remains legally undefined. Under the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, a refugee is someone who flees their country due to persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion. Environmental degradation, no matter how life-threatening, does not qualify under these criteria. This legal omission leaves millions in a state of limbo, displaced but not recognised, vulnerable but not protected.
Compounding the legal void is a lack of political will. Governments often heistate to acknowledge climate displacement formally, fearing it could open the ddor to large scale migration or financial liabilities. For instance, low-lying Pacific Island nations such as Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Maldives face existential threats from rising sea levels. Yet, neighbouring countries have made only limited commitments to offer permanent relocation or legal status to their citizens.
Moreover, migration caused by slow-onset events like desertification or salinisation of land is harder to classify, unlike sudden disasters such as hurricanes or floods. As a result, these “invisible” refugees often move internally or across borders without legal clarity, often relying on temporary humanitarian aid with no long-term protections or status.
Social and Economic Consequences:
Climate-induced displacement brings not just the loss of physical space, but also profound social and economic disruptions. Entire communities may be uprooted, with families separated and cultural heritage eroded. Displaced individuals often face stigmatisation in host communities, where they are viewed as outsiders or burdens. Leading to social tensions, especially in regions already grappling with poverty, unemployment, or political instability.
For indigenous peoples and rural populations whose identities are closely tied to their land, forced migration represents a deep rupture. When ancestral land is lost to rising tides or desertification, it’s not only homes that are gone—it’s traditions, languages, and histories.
Economically, the effects are far-reaching. Many climate refugees lose access to livelihoods that depend on agriculture, fishing, or pastoralism. In host areas, sudden population influxes can strain public services, inflate housing markets, and increase competition for jobs and resources. Governments may struggle to respond, especially in countries with limited infrastructure or fragile political systems.
In urban settings, displaced people often end up in informal settlements or slums, where they are exposed to new risks such as poor sanitation, overcrowding, and lack of access to clean water and healthcare. These conditions can lead to cycles of poverty and vulnerability that persist across generations.
Policy responses and solutions:
The complex nature of climate-induced displacement demands a multi-prolonged response that integrates legal reform, humanitarian assistance, development planning and climate adaptation.
1. Expanding Legal Protections
There is a growing consensus that international refugee law must evolve. One option is to expand the definition of a refugee to include those displaced by environmental factors. Another approach is the development of a separate legal category for “climate migrants,” with rights and protections tailored to their unique circumstances. Some regional agreements, like the Kampala Convention in Africa, offer promising models by recognizing internally displaced persons due to natural disasters and climate change.
2. Bilateral and Regional Agreements
In the absence of a binding global treaty, countries can form regional pacts. For example, New Zealand has piloted special visa programs for climate-displaced individuals from Pacific Island nations. These models could be scaled up and replicated in other regions facing similar challenges.
3. Planned Relocation and Resettlement
Rather than waiting for crises to unfold, governments can develop proactive relocation strategies. Planned resettlement, when done with full community consultation, can preserve dignity and minimize harm. This includes ensuring access to housing, employment, education, and healthcare in the new locations.
4. Investing in Resilience and Adaptation
Not all displacement is inevitable. With proper investment, communities can adapt to changing conditions and remain in place. This includes building seawalls, improving irrigation systems, diversifying income sources, and adopting climate-resilient agricultural practices. International funding mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund should prioritize adaptation projects that reduce the risk of displacement.
5. Strengthening Data and Research
Accurate data is essential for policy planning. Governments and international agencies need to improve tracking of climate displacement trends, particularly in regions where migration is informal or unrecorded. Better data will enable more targeted interventions and resource allocation.
The Road Ahead:
The road ahead is fraught with challenges, but also opportunities. As climate change reshapes the planet, it is also forcing a reevaluation of how we understand human rights, migration, and global responsibility.
Climate change refugees are a stark reminder that the climate crisis is not just an environmental issue—it is a humanitarian one. A just response will require global solidarity, especially from wealthier nations that have historically contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions. These countries must step up with both legal recognition and material support for those who are displaced.
Public awareness and civil society advocacy are also crucial. As the effects of climate change become more visible, so too must the stories of those forced to leave their homes. Recognising their plight is the first step; acting to protect them is the next.
Ultimately, the challenge of climate-induced displacement is not just about movement—it is about justice, equity, and our collective ability to respond with compassion and foresight in an era of environmental upheaval.
Written by: Alishbah Amir & Sarah Wong
Edited by: Ashley
