By 2050 216 million people will have to migrate due to the climate crisis

The effects of global warming will increasingly be responsible for migration. There is a climate refugee status but it is often not respected

The transfer of around 1000 refugee migrants from the burnt camp of Moria on the island of Lesbos in Greece (Socrates Baltagiannis / dpa via Ipa) At least 216 million people worldwide they will be forced to leave everything they have and migrate due to climate change by 2050. These are the dramatic numbers highlighted by the latest Growndshell Report of the World Bank, which recalls how the impact on people's livelihoods and loss of liveability of places highly exposed to extreme climatic events will push an important number of citizens, all over the world, to internal or transnational movements. By 2050, it says, sub-Saharan Africa could count up to 86 million internal climate migrants and 19 million North Africa. In East Asia and the Pacific there is an estimated 49 million, 40 million for the South Asian areas. 17 million are expected for Latin America and 5 million between Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Pre-Cop26 and migration

Numbers behind which hide the faces of those who risk losing their home, their possessions, their jobs. But also the future of their children, a dignified life, the most basic rights. In desperation, the push for climate migration, writes the International Institute for Environment and Development in its latest report Anti-Slavery International, makes climate migrants particularly vulnerable to human trafficking and modern slavery, including forced labor. This is one of the first studies to clearly and critically trace a link between climate-induced migration and modern forms of slavery, precisely in view of the upcoming United Nations climate summit, COP26, and the preparatory meeting. Pre-Cop26.

It must also be remembered that different types of environmental changes (sudden, such as a typhoon, or gradual, such as desertification) produce different responses from communities, ranging from forced displacement to survival , a slow erosion of the quality of life and gradual displacements, especially among the youngest. And they, in addition to being the first recipients of policies aimed at protection, are today considered decisive actors for a concrete counteraction.

Neeshad Shafi, environmentalist and co-founder Arab Youth Climate Movement

Giovani and climate

“Due to the pre-existing high temperatures, the Arab Middle East region is particularly sensitive to the effects of climate change. One of the key areas of climate change risks is the general increase in temperatures, water and migration ", explains Neeshad Shafi, environmentalist and co-founder of the Arab Youth Climate Movement (based in Qatar), now considered a of emerging voices among youth movements fighting for the climate.

“Last June 22, the Kuwaiti city of Nuwaiseeb recorded the highest temperature in the world this year, at 53.2 ° C. We must also consider that the Middle East is the most affected region in the world in terms of water scarcity, 70% of the countries affected by water stress are in the Mena region (Middle East and North Africa, ed) ”, says Shafi. This framework carries considerable risks of political, economic and social instability in areas often already affected by conflicts. The activist recalls that "in 2017, disasters in the region led to 11.4 million internally displaced people, mainly in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya and North Africa. Furthermore, although these populations are often considered "climate refugees", this term is not recognized by international law and therefore do not receive the same protections as refugees fleeing conflict or persecution ".

The role of Red Cross

The Italian Red Cross is also active on this front. "The mission of the Red Cross is to alleviate human suffering at 360 degrees, we take care of evolving needs and unfortunately today we need to act not only on conflict scenarios, but also to deal with emergencies such as migration and climate change", explains the vice president and youth contact person, Matteo Camporeale. Climate migration, he stresses, is not yet talked about enough. So much so that, in view of the Pre-Cop26, in recent days he has organized an appointment on the subject for high school kids. “We turn to young people because as an association we strongly believe in volunteering and active citizenship. Furthermore, these moments have an educational and formative value and it is essential to develop an understanding of the phenomenon from an early age ”, specifies Camporeale.

Among the experts, Francesca Basile, head of the CRI Migration Operational Unit, also intervened, estimating: "Since the beginning of the pandemic, climate-related disasters have affected at least 139 million people, and there are also many climatic migrants: this says a study carried out by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies ”. Among the emergencies are the Sahel (affected by flooding, drought and grasshopper invasions) and Bangladesh, which rises in a densely populated riverine area, historically affected by tropical storms, floods and other natural disasters.

Crises increase, the state of climate migrants worsens. "In international law, this category has long been non-existent, but in the face of scientific evidence it is as if we were witnessing a process of adaptation of the law, which must also condition the assistance to be guaranteed to those fleeing from a life that can no longer guarantee survival - explains Basile -. Even the security decrees approved last December provide for the same treatment for this category reserved for those fleeing wars or famines, thus giving the right to humanitarian protection not only with respect to the single event, but also to the impossibility of returning to their own country ".

In addition to reception, the Red Cross and Red Crescent work on prevention, with local communities. For example, in Bangladesh, early warning systems have been created which, through loudspeakers, warn about the risk of flooding in risk areas.


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Topics

Environment Climate Cop26 Greta Thunberg Meteo Migrants globalData.fldTopic = " Environment, Climate, Cop26, Greta Thunberg, Weather, Migrants "

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