200 million people could be on the move due to climate change by 2050
Unless we act now to halt global warming, the consequences for human migration and displacement could reach a scope and scale that vastly exceed anything that has occurred before. Climate change is already contributing to migration and displacement. All major estimates project that the trend will rise to tens of millions of migrants in coming years.
Within the next few decades, the consequences of climate change for human security efforts could be devastating. There may also be substantial implications for political stability. Most people will seek shelter in their own countries while others cross borders in search of better odds.
This new report provides empirical evidence from a first-time, multi-continent survey, policy recommendations and an analysis of both the threats and potential solutions.
The Human Toll
Poorer countries are under-equipped to support widespread adaptation. As a result, societies affected by climate change may find themselves locked into a downward spiral of ecological degradation, towards the bottom of which social safety nets collapse while tensions and violence rise. In this all-too-plausible worst-case scenario, large populations would be forced to migrate as a matter of immediate survival.
The Solution
New thinking and practical approaches are needed to address the threats that climate-related migration poses to human security. Climate-related migration and displacement can be successfully addressed only if they are seen as global processes rather than local crises.
The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities – both in terms of minimizing displacement and supporting unavoidable migration – must, therefore, underlie policy negotiations and subsequent outcomes. The burden of assisting and protecting displaced populations cannot be allowed to fall on the shoulders of most affected states alone.
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About CARE's Work on Climate Change
CARE is on the front lines in the fight against hunger and against climate change. Last year, we helped 10 million people improve crop production, increase income and sustainably manage natural resources.
