Nearly 90 million displaced people face climate risks
UNHCR warns that many refugees and internally displaced people live in areas affected by drought, flooding and extreme heat.
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Nearly 90 million forcibly displaced people live in countries increasingly exposed to climate risks. This is reported by refugee agency UNHCR in a report published just before the COP31 climate summit in Turkey.
According to UNHCR, these are people living as refugees outside their country or displaced within their own country by conflict and violence. In many cases, they live in areas where drought, flooding or extreme heat is also increasing.
According to the organisation, nearly three-quarters of the world’s forcibly displaced people live in countries facing serious climate risks. Reuters cites Afghanistan and Bangladesh as examples. The combination of war, poverty and extreme weather can make return or resettlement more difficult.
Climate change is not automatically the cause of every refugee movement. The new analysis mainly describes an overlap: people who have already been displaced are in places where climate threats place further pressure on their safety and livelihoods.
UNHCR is calling for more funding for climate adaptation in vulnerable countries. According to reports, only around 10 per cent of international climate finance goes to fragile and conflict-affected areas where many displaced people live.
The warning comes several days before COP31, which will be held in Antalya from 9 November. The figures are not a prediction of a new number of refugees, but an analysis of current exposure to climate risks. How many people will actually leave will also depend on conflict, policy, aid and local circumstances.
For the Netherlands, the significance lies mainly in international aid, climate finance and migration policy. These global figures do not show how many people may apply for asylum in the Netherlands in the future.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- UNHCR reports that nearly 90 million forcibly displaced people live in countries highly exposed to climate risks.
- The organisation is calling for more funding for climate adaptation in fragile and conflict-affected areas.
- The report does not predict how many people will migrate because of climate change.
Left
Arguments The climate crisis hits people who already have little protection hardest. Rich countries should therefore make more public funding available for adaptation and reception, not only for emissions reduction.
Values International solidarity, equality and the protection of vulnerable groups.
Consequences More funding could limit humanitarian crises, but would require higher public spending and long-term international cooperation.
Centre
Arguments Climate adaptation, conflict prevention and refugee policy need to be better coordinated. The institutional approach lies in targeted funding based on risk and demonstrable implementation.
Values Effectiveness, international cooperation and administrative feasibility.
Consequences A targeted approach could ensure that resources reach their destination more effectively, but difficult choices would remain over which areas receive priority.
Right
Arguments Climate finance must not automatically lead to unlimited migration. Investments should focus primarily on protection in the region, border control and return when it is safe to do so.
Values National control, security and the responsibility of states.
Consequences More reception in the region could reduce pressure on destination countries, but may fall short if safe accommodation and basic facilities are lacking.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The key figures and the link between forced displacement and climate risks have been confirmed by Reuters and other public reporting. The article avoids an unsubstantiated prediction about future migration.
- confirmed Nearly 90 million forcibly displaced people live in countries facing increasing climate risks. — Reuters summarises the new UNHCR report in these terms. source
- confirmed Nearly three-quarters live in countries facing serious climate risks. — This is reported in Reuters’ summary of the UNHCR report. source
- confirmed Around 10 per cent of climate finance goes to fragile and conflict-affected areas. — This figure appears in public summaries of the UNHCR report. source
Editor's note
The figure of nearly 90 million and the proportion of nearly three-quarters come from reporting on the new UNHCR report. The article makes clear that exposure to climate risks is not a prediction of future migration.Sources
- 90 million displaced people at risk from climate threats, UN refugee agency says — Reuters via MarketScreener
- UNHCR warns nearly 90 million displaced people face severe climate risks — The Gauge