Climate crisis leave millions in distress - UN

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin gives a speech during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku on November 13, 2024.  [AFP]

Climate change and conflicts have left millions of people across the world in dire straits, with nowhere to run to.

A new UN report has cast a grim spotlight on the intersection of the two — one natural and the other man-made — warning that millions of people in Africa and beyond are at severe risk as climate hazards surge.

The report, No Escape: On the Frontlines of Climate Change, Conflict, and Forced Displacement, was released by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on the sidelines of COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The report reveals a rapidly escalating crisis, noting that by 2040, extreme climate hazards could impact 65 countries—up from the current three.

This increase would primarily affect countries hosting large numbers of displaced people, with most refugee settlements predicted to endure twice as many days of dangerous heat by 2050.

The report paints a picture of how climate change is compounding the suffering of those already displaced by conflict, especially in regions that lack the resources to cope with both crises simultaneously.

Africa, hosting millions of displaced individuals, is particularly affected. UNHCR reports that over 120 million people are currently forcibly displaced worldwide, with three-quarters residing in countries already heavily impacted by climate change.

Half are in regions simultaneously facing conflict and climate threats, including nations such as Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan.

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, explained the injustice facing displaced people and host communities as a result climate crisis.

“The climate emergency represents a deep injustice … People forced to flee and the communities hosting them are the least responsible for carbon emissions, yet they are paying the highest price,” he said.

Grandi noted that while climate finance pledges have been made, billions of dollars never reach these vulnerable communities, with humanitarian aid failing to bridge the gap.

The report cites Sudan as a significant example. The ongoing conflict there has driven millions into Chad, a country that has been a host to refugees for decades, yet is itself one of the most vulnerable to climate impacts.

“In South Sudan, and around this region where so many people have been displaced for so many years, we see the effects of climate change before our very eyes,” observed Stephen Wani, Executive Director, Africa Democracy and Resilience Network -Juba.