The unavoidable impacts of climate change such as drought and rising sea levels are already forcing people in some parts of the world to leave their homes.

One obvious example is that of Fijian islanders relocated by their government due to rising tides. Researchers use the word ‘climate displacement’ to describe the situation.

The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR has said that levels of displacement are already higher than at any time since the end of the Second World War, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has said that the global scale of climate displacement is expected to dwarf today’s levels.

Read this article describing how the NGO Displacement Solutions is helping to develop policies that can provide access to land for those affected by climate displacement.

Further information:

• Governments meeting under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change formally recognized in 2009 that the issue of climate induced displacement, migration and planned relocation needs to be considered in their adaptation planning, including in their National Adaptation Plans.
• Several UN agencies and NGOs are offering help to governments in such planning. For example, the Nansen Initiative, a consultative process led by Norway, does important work in building consensus on the development of a protection agenda addressing the needs of displaced people. The UN University in Bonn is part of the expert community standing by and ready to help with extensive planning expertise.

Image: UNHCR