Migration

Shaping
the Future
of Climate
Migration
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Climate change is accelerating large-scale shifts in both internal and cross-border migration. Together, we can adapt and create a new path forward.
People have been on the move for centuries,
and for many reasons.
Now,
historic migration
is taking place around
the world.
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2X

According to the World Migration Report 2020, the number of migrants has doubled globally over the past decade.
Source: World Migration Report 2020
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Roughly 90% of refugees today come from countries that are the most vulnerable and least prepared to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Source: U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
Select a country below to view migratory patterns that are increasingly affected by climate change and require
collaborative solutions.
International Migrants
Migrant Population 2015-2020
International Migrant Population in 2020
The table is sorted by the change in the number of migrants living in the target country from the selected, origin country. The second column represents the total number of migrants living in the target country in 2020, and the associated percentage reflects the relative change in that community since 2015.
Source:
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2020). International Migrant Stock 2020.
The rapid and
slow impact of
catastrophic
climate events

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees reports that more than
20 million people are forced from their homes each year on account of disasters fueled by climate change.

Sudden and slow-forming natural disasters are devastating vulnerable communities.

21.5 million

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Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Rapid

Lake Manchar, Pakistan
Flooding
The 2022 monsoon season left 33% of the country under water. More than 33 million people were displaced, of which half were children. There were 1,400 casualties and caused $10 billion in damages. Source: United States Institute of Peace
Santa Rosa, California, US
Wildfires
The wildfires in Santa Rosa caused $7 billion of damage, including the loss of 3,000 homes. Many families have temporarily left Santa Rosa, while others have permanently relocated.
Salamanca, Spain
Wildfires
The wildfires have burned more than 4000 hectares of land and 600 people have been evacuated. Source: European Space Agency
Dominica
Hurricane
After Hurricane Maria, one fifth of Dominica’s population was forced to leave the island.
East Island, Hawaii
Hurricane
Category 5 storm Hurricane Walaka eliminated nearly all of East Island, a habitat for green sea turtles and critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals. Source: NPR
Aq Qala, Iran
Flooding
Extreme rainfall led to devastating flooding in Aq Qala and other regions of Iran. More than 43,000 people were rescued and nearly 27,000 were provided with emergency accommodation with damage estimated in the hundreds of millions. Source: VOA News

slow

Kirimati Island, Republic of Kiribati
Sea level rise
Kiribati has a population of over 110,000 people. According to the IPCC, a one-meter sea-level rise (3 feet) could inundate two-thirds of Kiribati by the end of the century. Source: IPCC
Ningxia, China
Desertification
Gansu Province reported 4,000 villages at risk of being buried in drifting sand. As much as 900 square miles of former farmland is blown away by the wind each year in northern China, according to National Geographic. The state media estimated that in 2005 direct and indirect economic losses due to desertification were more than $40 billion. Source: Wilson Center
Aral Sea Lake, Uzbekistan
Desertification
More than 60 million people in six nations—Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan—rely on the rivers leading to the Aral.
Sahel Desert, Somalia
Desertification/Drought
The 2016-2017 drought has brought Somalia to the brink of famine. An estimated 6.7 million – half the population – are acutely food insecure and in need of humanitarian assistance. Source: GFDRR
Lake Cawndilla New South Wales, Australia
Drought
The impacts of drought on Lake Cawndilla and surrounding areas devastated local wildlife with the death of nearly 1 million fish. Crops such as cotton were also impacted, with some areas losing all of their annual yield. Source: SMH
Why We Must Act
Together

The estimated number of people

projected to be uprooted from climate catastrophes varies considerably, from

143 MILLION Source: UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

to

1.2 BILLION Source: Institute for Economics and Peace

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Real people,
right now
Where cross-border climate migration is happening

Climate migration stories around the globe.

The UK’s first climate change refugees?

Source: BBC News

Dwindling rains in northern Cameroon spark conflict and displacement

Source: UNHCR

Climate migration will worsen the brutality and chaos on the Mediterranean

Source: LA Times

'A journey with no end': Angola's climate refugees

Source: Al Jazeera

Rich Nations’ Toxic Habits Bring African Refugees to Their Doors.

Source: Bloomberg

Warming climate threatens livelihoods of Malian refugees and Mauritanians.

Source: UNHCR

Climate Migration Pushes Bangladesh’s Megacity to the Brink.

Source: Bloomberg

Climate change refugees share stories of escaping wildfires, floods, and droughts.

Source: The Intercept

The People of the Isle de Jean Charles Are Louisiana’s First Climate Refugees—but They Won’t Be the Last.

Source: NRDC

B.C. wildfires: 14,000 evacuated and Williams Lake under citywide alert.

Source: CBC

Hungry and desperate: Climate change fuels a migration crisis in Guatemala.

Source: NBC News
Our Vision

While no one can be sure exactly how future climate innovation and resilience efforts will affect communities, it’s clear that millions of people will be forced to move, both within countries and across borders.

Rising temperatures and climate disasters will force a record number of people around the world to migrate, leading to increased risks of border crises, conflict, and inhumane immigration policies.

Our vision centers on collective action. Together, we can ensure safe, legal, and orderly migration channels and mechanisms for those forced to move. With proven immigration strategies and clean tech innovation, there’s hope for an equitable and livable planet.

Join Us
We need research and innovation to learn more about climate migration and develop solutions. With your help, we can enact effective policies and strategies to support climate migrants,
wherever they are.
share Email us

Visit us at climatemigrationcouncil.org

To learn more about this project, email info@climatepaths.org.

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