Climate change forces 20 million people to flee each year, says Oxfam
Over the past decade, climate-fuelled disasters drove over 20 million people a year from their homes, concluded a report released by Oxfam on Monday. The Oxfam study, titled “Forced from Home,” was released as two weeks of UN climate negotiations kick-start in Madrid.
It examined the numbers of people displaced inside their home countries by climate-fuelled disasters between 2008 and 2018, based on government and international agency data, as well as media reports.
“Today people are seven times more likely to be internally displaced by cyclones, floods and wildfires as they are by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and three times more likely than by conflict,” the report said.
While no one is immune, people in poor countries are most at risk, the NGO said. “People in low and lower-middle income countries such as India, Nigeria and Bolivia are over four times more likely to be displaced by extreme weather disasters than people in rich countries such as the United States.”
Seven of the top 10 countries with the highest displacement by proportion of their population were small island developing states, largely in the Pacific and the Caribbean, the report found.
Asia is the continent most affected, said Oxfam, noting that around 80% of all people displaced over the last decade live there.
“Our governments are fuelling a crisis that is driving millions of women, men and children from their homes and the poorest people in the poorest countries are paying the heaviest price,” said Chema Vera, Acting Executive Director of Oxfam International.
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How is climate change affecting Europe?
Record-setting heat waves
The summer of 2019 saw heat records in Europe broken across the continent. In July, Germany recorded its highest temperature ever at 42.6 C (108 F). France broke its heat record twice in 2019, the highest temperature measuring 46.C (114.8 F) in July. Climate change increases the frequency of heat waves.
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How is climate change affecting Europe?
Venice under water
In November 2019, the Italian archipelago city of Venice experienced multiple flooding events and the high water mark of 1.5 meters was reached three times in one week for the first time in recorded history. Projected sea level rise due to climate change could make these events more likely in the future.
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How is climate change affecting Europe?
Wildfires burning Spain
The same heat wave that brought record temperatures to France sparked the worst wildfires to hit Spain in 20 years. On the Spanish island of Gran Canaria, wildfires in August decimated a national park on the popular tourist island. Hotter temperatures and drier air due to climate change increase the risk of fires.
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How is climate change affecting Europe?
German forests dying
A combination of drought, storms and extreme heat is depleting Germany’s forests. According to BDF, a forest advocacy group, in Germany, more than 1 million established trees have died since 2018. “These are no longer single unusual weather events. That is climate change,” said a BDF representative.
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How is climate change affecting Europe?
Disappearing glaciers in the Alps
A glacier on the Italian side of Mont Blanc experienced accelerated melting in 2019. And enthusiasts held a “funeral” for the Pizol glacier in the Swiss Alps, which has almost completely disappeared. Scientists say climate change accelerates glacial melting in the Alps.
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How is climate change affecting Europe?
Drought affecting food production
Two consecutive years of drought in Germany have hit farmers hard. In 2018, record drought caused major crop failures, and heat waves in 2019 also damaged crops. “Climate change means more frequent droughts and extreme weather events in Germany,”said German Weather Service Vice President Paul Becker.
Costs rising quickly
Overall, the number of weather disasters considered extreme grew five-fold over the last decade, researchers said.
As more people leave their homes as a result of weather disasters, costs — and threats to social stability — are rising quickly for the countries trying to manage that displacement, often with few resources, the report said.
At the UN climate talks in Madrid, environmental and development groups are pushing to establish a fund to help countries already reeling from climate-enhanced heat waves, droughts, floods and storms made worse by wilder weather and rising seas.
Poor and vulnerable nations are set to receive $100 billion (€90.7 billion) annually from next year to prepare for future impacts, but no concrete provisions exist yet for “loss and damage” already incurred.
sri/rt (Reuters, AFP)
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/climate-change-forces-20-million-people-to-flee-each-year-says-oxfam/a-51494606?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf