Climate-related disasters displace 20 million people every year

A new report by Oxfam shows that climate-related disasters were the main cause of displacement in the last decade.

More than 20 million people have been displaced by climate-related disasters every year for the past decade - more than one person every two seconds.

Oxfam's 'Forced from Home' report shows that people are seven times more likely to be forced from their homes by cyclones, floods and fires compared to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and three times more likely than by conflict.

While no one is immune to the effects of the climate crisis, with recent fires in Australia and floods in Europe forcing thousands of people from their homes, Oxfam's analysis shows that people living in poor countries, those least responsible for global emissions, are the most vulnerable.

Climate inequality evident
People in low-income countries such as India, Nigeria and Bolivia are more than four times more likely to be displaced by extreme weather events than people in rich countries such as the United States. Around 80% of those displaced in the last decade live in Asia - home to 60% of the world's population and over a third of people living in extreme poverty.

Small island nations such as Cuba, Dominica and Tuvalu, where one person emits about a third as little carbon dioxide as a person in a rich country, are nonetheless hit hard by climate disasters. They make up seven of the ten countries at highest risk of internal displacement due to extreme weather.

Fiji, 2016. Cyclone Winston has a devastating impact, killing 44 people and destroying 24,000 homes. Much of the water supply is knocked out and is in place to provide affected communities with clean drinking water. Photo: Adi Kautea Nacola/OxfamAUS

The report shows that the poorest members of society are the most vulnerable to climate-related displacement. For example, 51 000 people in Zimbabwe were displaced by Cyclone Idai in March 2019. The most affected people lived in rural areas of Chimanimani and Chipinge, where infrastructure was poor and housing could not withstand heavy rains and strong winds.

"People in poverty bear the weight of our emissions. Climate inequality is unfair and dangerous. We in rich countries are already putting the lives of vulnerable people at risk when we do not do more to reduce emissions. Rich countries must pay for the damage they have caused and give developing countries access to the financing they need to recover from climate disasters and adapt to a warmer climate. Sweden provides a relatively large amount of climate finance, but this should be in addition to regular aid."

Robert Höglund, Head of Communications Oxfam Sweden

Hot topic at UN climate summit
The contentious issue of financial support for communities, including refugees, affected by the climate crisis is expected to take center stage at the UN climate summit in Madrid on 2-13 December 2019.