Displacement in a changing climate

This report presents a collection of case studies of how Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide are protecting and assisting communities in the context of climate-related displacement. And it calls for more ambitious climate action and investment in local communities and local organizations to address this urgent humanitarian challenge. Millions of people around the world are displaced and moving in the context of disasters and the adverse effects of climate change. This is only set to worsen as climate change increases the intensity and frequency of sudden- and slow-onset hazards. We, collectively, have a duty to address the humanitarian impacts of climate-related displacement. But we do not need to wait until communities are displaced, we can and must take action now to protect them.

This report contains case studies of 11 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in these countries: Australia, Fiji, Germany, Honduras, Iraq, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Samoa, Tuvalu and Yemen. It highlights their role in preventing, adapting to and responding to the adverse impacts of climate-related displacement. It complements other reports on human mobility and displacement in the context of disasters and climate change produced by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). These 11 cases studies show that the climate crisis is already happening now. Communities across the world are already experiencing the devastating humanitarian impacts of climate-related displacement. These impacts are being experienced due to sea level rise, drought, extreme heat, floods and storms. It is also clear that the most vulnerable and the most marginalized people are being hit the hardest.