The phenomenon of climatic refugees has emerged as an increasingly urgent reality in the context of global climate change. The term refers to people who are forced to leave their homes due to natural disasters and extreme events related to the weather, such as floods, droughts, intense storms and the increase in sea level. Although the term “climate refugee” lacks legal recognition and definition precision, is used to describe a diversity of displacements caused by environmental degradation and adverse impacts of climate change in various regions of the world.
In this ecology article, we will tell you more about What are climatic refugees, types and examples of these extreme situations.
What are climatic refugees
In the context of Climate change And its increasingly evident impacts worldwide, a term that reflects a complex reality has emerged: climatic refugees. This concept, although widely used, is considered judicially incorrect due to its lack of legal recognition and precise definition. However, it is used to describe people who see forced to leave their homes due to natural disasters Climate related, such as floods, droughts, intense storms with torrential rain and other extreme phenomena.
The causes of climate contempt are diverse already interconnected. For example, sea level increase can flood entire coastal communities, forcing its inhabitants to seek refuge in safer areas inland. Likewise, prolonged droughts can destroy crops and water sources, leaving people without subsistence means and forcing them to abandon their homes in Search for more favorable conditions To survive.
Here you can read about the serious effects of climate change.
Legal situation of climatic refugees
These climatic refugees are not protected by the 1951 Geneva Convention, which defines the refugee status and associated rights for those fleeing persecution and violence. The problem of this situation is that it leaves people displaced by climate change in a precarious legal and humanitarian situation, with limited access to help and protection.
As the impacts of climate change continue to intensify, it is expected that The number of people displaced for climatic reasons increases significantly in the coming decades. This raises urgent challenges both nationally and internationally, from the need to develop effective adaptation and mitigation policies to guarantee the protection and rights of the most vulnerable.
Types of environmental refugees
- Refugees for natural disasters: These people are forced to abandon their homes due to sudden and catastrophic events, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions or hurricanes. Although these displacements can be temporary, they often result in the permanent loss of homes and infrastructure, which requires long -term relocation.
- Environmental degradation refugees: Human activities, such as deforestation, desertification, water pollution, soil pollution and loss of biodiversity, can degrade natural environments and endanger the subsistence means of local communities.
- Refugees for environment -related conflicts: Competition for natural resources, such as water and land, can trigger conflicts between communities and even between countries.
- Refugees for Development Projects: The construction of large dams, mining projects, large -scale energy and agricultural infrastructures often involves the expropriation of land and the displacement of local communities.
Where there are climatic refugees
Climate refugees are found in various parts of the world, since climate change does not know borders and their impacts can affect any region. However, there are some areas where the effects of climate change are more pronounced and where significant displacements have been documented:
- Coastal islands and regions: The small islands and coastal regions are particularly vulnerable to the increase in sea level and extreme climatic events, such as tropical storms and cyclones. Countries such as the Maldive Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Bangladesh parts have experienced travel from entire communities due to coastal erosion and saline intrusion.
- Drought prone areas: Regions that depend largely on agriculture and water resources can be seriously affected by prolonged droughts. Areas such as the Horn of Africa, the African Sahel, the southwest United States and parts of Latin America have experienced significant displacements due to water scarcity and soil degradation.
- Areas affected by floods: The regions prone to sudden and growing floods, such as Southeast Asia, southern Asia and some parts of Europe, have witnessed massive displacements caused by sudden floods and the increase in river water level.
- Regions vulnerable to landslides and avalanches: Mountain and steep areas are prone to landslides and avalanches, especially during extreme climatic events such as heavy rains. Countries such as Nepal, Peru and parts of Central America have experienced displacements due to these phenomena.
As for the destinations of climatic refugees, they tend to go mainly towards urban areas in their own countries or to neighboring countries that can offer better living conditions and economic opportunities. However, many climatic refugees also seek refuge in more developed countries and with more robust social protection systems, which can lead to long distance displacements and, in some cases, to cross -border migrations.
Examples of climatic migrations
There are numerous examples of climatic migrations worldwide that illustrate the challenges and realities faced by displaced people due to climate change. Some examples are:
- Migration in the Ganges Delta, Bangladesh: The Ganges Delta, one of the most densely populated regions in the world, is extremely vulnerable to the increase in sea level and tropical cyclones. As a result, millions of people in Bangladesh have been forced to leave their homes due to saline intrusion, coastal erosion and periodic floods.
- Displacements in the horn of Africa: Recurrent drought and desertification in the horn of Africa, which covers countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, have caused massive displacements of rural communities in search of water and food.
- Migration from the Pacific Islands: Insular countries such as Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands are threatened by the increase in sea level, which has led some of its inhabitants to seek refuge in neighboring countries or request refugee status in more developed nations, such as New Zealand.
- Displacements in Central America due to tropical storms: The countries of Central America, including Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, have experienced massive displacements caused by tropical storms and devastating floods.
After learning more about what are climatic refugees, we invite you to read about natural disasters in the world.
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