Climate crisis, displaced people are double that for wars

Non the last decade, the climate crisis and extreme weather events have caused on average 21.5 million new displaced persons per year, more than double those caused by conflict and violence.

The climate crisis is a global problem, of course. It affects everyone, at every latitude, but those who suffer the most from its catastrophic effects are the people who live in conflict zones and in fragile countries. Not only due to floods, storms and droughts (23.7 million are newly displaced in 2021 alone). Climate change is a multiplier of other risk factors, first and foremost food insecurity.

The climate crisis is a humanitarian emergency

UNHCR raised the alarm with the campaign “The climate crisis is a humanitarian emergency”. Food is increasingly inaccessible due to the scarcity of water and productive land and the consequent impact on crops and on food production.

Food prices tend to rise, making access to food difficult for many impoverished or displaced communities. Globally, around 2021 193 million people were severely food insecure and in need of urgent assistance – a number never recorded before – in 53 countries. With an increase of almost 40 million people compared to the previous peak reached in 2020.

The Horn of Africa experiences the worst drought for 40 years

To give just a couple of examples, the Horn of Africa (the African region including Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya) is experiencing the worst drought for four decades now. 23 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are severely food insecure. In Afghanistan, another country hit by a severe drought, nearly 19 million people live in a condition of food insecurity.

Those who fled the war yesterday, flee the climate today

“We are creating a world in which those fleeing violence are forced to live in uninhabitable places due to the climate,” explains Chiara Cardoletti, UNHCR Representative for Italy, the Holy See and San Marino.

More than 70% of the world’s refugees and displaced people come from the most climate-vulnerable countries, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria and Yemen. But it so happens that most of them stay within their own country. And if earlier they were forced to flee violence in vulnerable areas, then they come uprooted again from the host territory by catastrophic storms, droughts and floods. This is why we talk about climate refugees.

The countries least responsible for the climate crisis are the most affected by its effects

The paradox is that countries and communities least responsible for global warming are the most affected. Also for this reason the States that can do it, and which are the first architects of the problem, are called to act on both fronts. That of the climate and that of assistance to people. But, of course, individuals can also contribute, Donating on the UNHCR Climate Crisis Campaign website.

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