Climate Refugees to Increase 54% by 2015

In six years time, the number of people affected each year by the climate crises is projected to rise by 54 per cent to 375 million. This will not just be overwhelming for the humanitarian aid system it would also further the inequity that plagues the world and will make the fight for climate justice even more challenging.

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In a recent report on the “Right to Survive” released by the international agency Oxfam, it has been projected that over the next six years there would be a 54% increase in climate refugees. The shocking study that revealed this fact now calls for a complete re-engineering of the way the world responds to, prepares for and prevents disasters. The projected rise is mainly due to a combination of entrenched poverty and people migrating to densely populated slums which are prone to the increasing number of climatic events. This is compounded by the political failure to address these risks and a humanitarian system which is not fit for purpose.

“While there has been a steady increase in climate related events, it is poverty and political indifference that make(s) a storm a disaster,” was Nisha Agrawal CEO of Oxfam India’s response to the Report.  The report further warns that as climate change gathers pace, the trend in climate disasters is likely to continue to increase and so rich countries must commit now to cut greenhouse gas emissions in order to keep global warming as far below 2°C as possible, and to provide at least $50 billion a year in finance to help poor countries adapt to unavoidable climate change.

In further highlighting the problem, the report suggests that hunger is on the increase, caused by drought, population density and an increasing demand for meat and dairy products in emerging economies. People are being driven from their homes - it is estimated up to a billion people will be forced from their homes by 2050 due to climate change, environmental degradation, and conflict. And finally more people are losing their jobs due to the global economic crisis.

Calling for a change in humanitarian response, especially in context to the speed of response and quality of relief that is provided to the affected populations, the report indicates major gaps in water, sanitation and health services during disasters in India.  Coordination gaps between departments while facing disasters - climate or otherwise are also highlighted in the report. All in all, the report calls for an urgent need to realize the impacts of climate change in the coming years and make efforts to reduce poop people’s vulnerability to disasters.

Image Courtesy AP/Pavel Rahman and Reproduced as The Climate Project Resource Material

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