COP29 Highlights Alarming Trends in Weather-Related Displacement
As COP29 concludes in Baku, Azerbaijan, new data underscores the growing threat of climate-induced displacement. The 2024 Global Report on Internal Displacement reveals that by the end of 2023, at least 6.6 million people were displaced by weather-related disasters, with a staggering 20.3 million forced movements recorded throughout the year due to recurrent crises like floods, storms, droughts, and wildfires.
Floods and Storms Dominate Displacement Causes
Floods and storms accounted for 77% of all weather-related displacement incidents in 2023, with floods alone displacing 9.8 million people and storms displacing 9.5 million. Droughts and wildfires caused 491,000 and 435,000 displacements, respectively.
China (4.6 million displacements) and the Philippines (2.1 million) led the global displacement tally, with Typhoon Doksuri forcing over a million people to flee. In Africa, Somalia faced its worst floods in decades, displacing 2 million people.
Long-Term Trends: A Sharp Increase in Weather Displacement
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) reports that weather-related displacement incidents have risen sixfold since 2015. Floods have shown a particularly alarming upward trend, peaking at 1,710 incidents in 2023. Similarly, storm events like hurricanes and typhoons have increased sevenfold since 2015.
Global South Bears the Brunt of Displacement
Out of the 359 million weather-related displacements recorded since 2008, nearly 80% occurred in Asia and the Asia Pacific. South Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan accounted for 67% of global displacements. According to the World Bank, the region could face annual economic losses of $160 billion by 2030 due to climate disasters.
Countries in the Global South experienced five times more displacement relative to their populations compared to those in the Global North in 2023. Experts call this disparity a “global injustice,” as the Global South contributes the least to greenhouse gas emissions but suffers the worst consequences.
COP29 Criticised for Lack of Action on Displacement
Experts and policymakers have expressed frustration at the lack of concrete measures from COP29 to address climate displacement. Alice Baillit from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre noted that current pledges fail to consider the full costs of displacement, both in terms of root causes and resulting losses.
Columbia University climate expert Pushker Kharecha criticised the effectiveness of COP, stating, “CO2 emissions continue to grow unabated after decades of these meetings.” He called for a global carbon pricing system to fairly penalise greenhouse gas emissions without placing undue burdens on lower-income countries.
The Need for Urgent Action
With weather-related displacements rising and vulnerable communities bearing the brunt, experts warn that global commitments must translate into actionable, enforceable policies. Without addressing the root causes of climate displacement, millions more could face loss of homes and livelihoods in the coming decades.