Climate change and disaster displacement

How is UNHCR addressing the problem?  

UNHCR is working towards a future vision for 2030, firmly rooted in the ambition of UNHCR’s 2022-2026 Strategic Directions, and aligned to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):  

“By 2030, increasing numbers of forcibly displaced and stateless people fleeing from climate-fueled crises and/or living in climate-vulnerable countries find solutions, are protected and resilient to the impacts of climate change, and have the means to live self-sufficient lives.”  

Underpinning this vision is UNHCR’s own commitment to further green its operations and supply chains. 

Building on the Strategic Framework for Climate Action, which was launched in 2020, our new Strategic Plan for Climate Action 2024-2030 details a global roadmap for prioritized action in support of host governments to realize this ambitious goal.  

 Read the Strategic Plan for Climate Action 2024 – 2030

UNHCR’s climate action is joint action. We cannot achieve this vision alone. In support of host governments, we will work with other humanitarian and development organizations, as well as the private sector to achieve four key objectives by 2030: 

1. People who forced to flee across borders due to persecution, violence and human rights violations occurring in relation to the adverse effects of climate change and disasters are protected and safe 

UNHCR ensures that national government institutions, regional bodies, legal practitioners, academia, civil society and other relevant entities have increased understanding of people’s protection needs and entitlements when they flee across borders, and guide them on how the Refugee Convention and other international and regional instruments apply when people need international protection. We support states and our legal and other partners to respond to asylum claims arising in the context of the changing climate. 

2. Forcibly displaced and stateless people and their hosts can access services that promote the sustainable use of natural resources and a clean and healthy environment 

UNHCR engages with displaced communities to preserve and rehabilitate the environment, mitigating protection risks such as gender-based violence. We are driving a transition to renewable energy, for example by solarizing diesel-fueled boreholes, health centers and schools serving displaced people and their hosts. By increasing displaced people’s access to climate-smart water and sanitation services, we help reduce dependence on scarce natural resources and tensions with hosting communities. Whenever we can, we advocate with governments and development partners to encourage investment in environmentally sustainable public services for communities that host displaced and stateless people.

3. People forced to flee, stateless people and their hosts can prepare for, withstand, recover and be protected from the impacts of climate change

UNHCR works with authorities and local responders to create or expand protection services for forcibly displaced people whose protection risks are exacerbated by climate impacts and disasters. We provide sustainable and climate-resilient shelter to shield displaced people from heavy rains and floods and to reduce the environmental impact of displacement. 

We advocate and partner with Governments, humanitarian and/or development actors to ensure refugees, returnees and their hosts are included in shock-responsive, climate-adaptive social protection programmes, while at the same time providing direct humanitarian cash assistance through our own programming to the most marginalized and impacted community members.  We work with development actors and governments to enable refugees and their hosts, and returnee populations to access, establish or strengthen climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable livelihoods. We work with partners to ensure Governments and/or local responders to create or expand early warning systems and preparedness measures in areas hosting displaced people. 

4. UNHCR minimizes its own negative impacts on the environment 

We are working to reduce our carbon footprint by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, solarizing offices and greening our fleet. Our transition from fossil fuel-based energy resources to renewable energy sources is part of the UN’s wider commitment to ‘Greening the Blue’. We are incorporating climate considerations into all areas of the end-to-end supply chain, including planning, sourcing, material contents, manufacturing processes, procurement, delivery and lifecycle management of relief items.