A recent study conducted by the World Bank shows that the internal and external displacement of people caused by the effects of climate change could cause huge disruptions across some of the regions of the developing world.
Human displacement motivated by climate change could lead to an increased pressure on resources (food, water, medical care, jobs) in some of the most vulnerable regions in the world.
It is estimated that from now until 2050 around 140m people could be internally displaced and cause major disruption.
The research conducted by the World Bank explored human displacement and its possible consequences in three regions that are believed could be the most affected by climate change in the short term: sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia and Latin America.
The main reasons behind these mass movements of people within the borders of some countries will be droughts and the inability to grow enough crops to survive, the rising sea levels and the increase in flash floods.
John Roome, one of the senior figures in the climate change division at the World Bank, said: “Climate change-driven migration will be a reality, but it does not need to be a crisis, provided we take action now and act boldly.”
The World Bank is putting forward some suggestions as to how to prepare for the possibility of mass internal displacement as well as how to try and prevent it from happening.
Governments should be dispensing more efforts to ensure they are constantly reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. They should also put internal displacement on their agenda to prepare for the possibility and have a plan on how to deal with it as well as invest in more studies on the topic.
The topic of human displacement across international borders has been on the agenda for quite some time as the consequences of this kind of displacement are believed to be more severe – social and economic dissatisfaction, racism, etc.
The truth is internal displacement could be equally as disruptive and governments should act now and get prepared to deal with the issue.
> Naomi Round
Climate Change Could Soon Cause Major Human Displacement
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