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The climate is a key determinant of where people live and climate change is increasingly recognised to influence the factors that can lead to population movements, including migration and displacement. Displacement is the movement of people from their place of residence, and can occur when extreme weather events, such as flood and drought, make areas temporarily uninhabitable. Major extreme weather events have in the past led to significant population displacement, and changes in the incidence of extreme events will amplify the challenges and risks of such displacement1 (IPCC 2013). Planned and well-managed migration (which poses operational challenges) can reduce the chance of later humanitarian emergencies and displacement.
The effects of climate change on migration
Climate-related shocks and trends that can cause population displacement include:
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More intense and/or more unpredictable extreme weather events
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Increased occurrence of slow-onset disasters such as increasing temperatures and drought, which affect agricultural production and access to clean water;
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Rising sea levels which can render coastal areas increasingly difficult places to live and work; small atolls will be especially affected (44% of the world’s population lives within 150 kilometers of the coast);
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Degradation of land and competition over natural resources can challenge institutions’ ability to manage relations over shared resources, leading to rivalry and in turn migration.