We often understand refugees as people fleeing wars, persecutions, and massacres, but what do we know about ‘climate refugee? The term ecological refugee refers to individuals whose lives or economies are threatened by sudden or prolonged environmental disasters such as drought, famine, desertification, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, and similar events, forcing them to leave their homes. First articulated by Lester Brown in 1976, the concept of climate refugee lacks a precise definition and is often interchangeably used with terms like environmental refugee, climate refugee/migrant, climate change refugee, environmentally displaced person, disaster refugee, and eco-refugee.
The concept of ‘climate refugees,’ which has gained prominence with the climate crisis, describes people who must relocate due to climate-related disasters, becoming the invisible victims of climate change. Like all other types of migration, climate change-induced migration is a multi-causal phenomenon. Scientists assert that there are significant links between climate refugees and global climate change driven by global warming. Predictions indicate severe damage to rainforests, glacier melts raising sea levels, ozone layer deterioration, desertification, aridification, and large-scale floods and deluges.
Human movements due to climate change have a long history. According to a 2018 report by the International Organization for Migration, an average of 25.3 million people have been displaced by disasters each year since 2008. This number surpasses displacement due to conflict and violence, reflecting the indiscriminate, unpredictable, and uncontrollable nature of environmental hazards. Climate-driven migrations are a stark reality of our time. Although some migrations are attributed to political and economic reasons, climate problems often underlie these movements.
Despite being at the intersection of migration and the climate crisis, climate refugees largely remain outside the international agenda, almost invisible. The term ‘climate refugee’ is controversial and lacks a legally defined status because the international community agrees that migration can be due to environmental reasons but disagrees on whether it is forced or voluntary. The term refugee does not refer to any legal status for climate refugees, and no international treaty, convention, or document recognizes it. Consequently, individuals migrating due to climate change fall through the cracks of international refugee and migration policies. There is ongoing debate on whether to expand the existing refugee definition or create a new one for those migrating due to climate change. This lack of legal recognition hinders efforts to address their problems and propose solutions.
Forced migration due to climate change can exacerbate competition over scarce resources in destination areas, potentially leading to conflicts between migrants and local communities. Increased competition for natural resources, land rights, food, and water can worsen relations between climate refugees and local populations. Underdeveloped and developing countries bear the greatest risk, making local-level strengthening of consultation, information, and capacity building essential. However, economic inefficiency often impedes these actions. Economic insufficiency hampers disaster preparedness for climate change-induced events. The relationship between displacement due to climate change and economic capacity is crucial at both individual and state levels. Countries with low prosperity levels contribute the least to climate change but are most vulnerable to its consequences. Climate change-forced migrants are almost invisible and lack international protection.
Scientific evidence shows that the rapid and cumulative destruction of climatic and ecological components is against the world’s natural balance. While human activities are often cited as the source of this destruction, the primary cause is the current global world system and its underlying economic policies. Additionally, early capitalist countries and states supporting powerful corporations often exacerbate these issues. Therefore, allocating climate debt from these groups should precede the sacrifices expected from all humanity. The human rights declared in writing should be extended to climate refugee to address their plight.
environment As the effects of climate change intensify, climate refugee will undoubtedly become a critical issue. Protecting climate refugees from the impacts of global climate change requires more than local solutions, action plans, and protective measures. Considering the scale and impact of the climate crisis, it is evident that individual, regional, or traditional responses will be insufficient. Developing global solidarity and action plans, and recognizing an international status for climate refugee, is crucial. These individuals, who flee their homes due to environmental factors, can be considered ‘asylum seekers’ due to their ‘natural persecution.’ Concrete steps are needed to prevent and mitigate global ecological problems.
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