I’ve been hearing more and more stories about how climate change is leading to displacement among people in the global south. However, I’ve been looking over a few articles and there are many small factors in displacement that aren’t discussed as much. When I picture people having to flee their homes due to the climate crisis, I think of a huge flood destroying homes and villages and markets. But really, there are so many small details that are not as earth-shattering as a devastating flood but are large enough to cause people to have no other choice but to leave their home. 

For example, higher temperatures cause an increase in evaporation, leading to widespread droughts in some areas, particularly during dry season. Increased droughts lead to violence over claiming the scarce water that must provide for an entire community. When people face violence in their communities trying to access a basic human need, they are forced to flee. In this case, it wasn’t a destructive and catastrophic flood that left people with no choice to flee their homes – it was the effects of global warming.  I’ve never thought about the social effects of climate change, just the natural effects. Hearing about people who face violence and abuse due to the lack of water in communities showed me how climate change is never solely an issue for the plants and animals around us, but a social and political issue for people as well. It is another reason why I feel global warming is one of if not the largest issue in the world today because it affects us on almost every level of life and contributes to so many issues – poverty, hunger, violence, abuse, and homelessness. 

However, this isn’t to say that floods, hurricanes, and extreme natural disasters aren’t major sources of displacement. Between 2015 and 2024, 264.8 million people were forced to flee their homes spanning across 210 countries and territories. The thing about natural disasters is that even though they have been occurring since the beginning of time, it is the fact that they are worsening to the point of making areas unlivable that makes them so harmful. Global warming isn’t creating these disasters – it’s heightening and magnifying them and this is what pushes people out.  

What is there to do about natural disasters? Besides supporting refugees, rebuilding projects, and staying aware of the issue, the solution is the same as most other environmental issues – helping to prevent climate change. I think being aware of how natural disasters are not always an effect, but also a cause of many deadly circumstances in people’s lives is the first step in preventing the issue. Without awareness, there is no way for progress to be made. In the meantime, getting involved in our communities and making small, eco-friendly decisions in our daily lives is what ultimately will cool the earth and prevent devastating natural disasters. 💚😊

Sources:  https://www.unhcr.org/us/contact-us/privacy-policy/unhcr-verify-plus-privacy-notice, https://www.internal-displacement.org/news/disasters-triggered-nearly-265-million-forced-movements-over-the-past-decade/

Image: Gallagher, Chris. “Brown and white concrete house beside river during daytime photo.” Unsplash, 1 November 2020, https://unsplash.com/photos/brown-and-white-concrete-house-beside-river-during-daytime-9Jgn8hSYUFc.