Global hopes to alleviate effects of ‘climate migration’ pinned on COP28

DUBAI / WAM

With the rising waves of “climate migration” happening around the world, hopes are pinned on the ongoing 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) held in Dubai to alleviate the impact of this phenomenon amid escalating concerns due to the increasing effects of climate change. Climate change is a significant driver of internal migration due to its effects on livelihoods and as it makes vulnerable areas uninhabitable, compelling communities in many countries and regions to relocate as a result of drought, desertification, dust storms and rising sea levels in island nations and coastal cities.
Observers view COP28 as a global beacon of hope to find comprehensive solutions to address the fallout of climate change, including climate migration, as it is an international platform that fosters global efforts and unifies visions and aspirations toward a brighter future for humanity. The recommendations and initiatives witnessed at COP28 are expected to help ease the predicted consequences of climate change in terms of displacement and migration from regions most susceptible to its effects as individuals seek new places to live and migrate from unstable environments.
The UAE has maintained a clear stance on climate change, recognising it as a primary challenge facing the world today. Consequently, the country has been actively implementing various initiatives to combat climate change and decrease levels of displacement and migration from areas highly vulnerable to climatic shifts.
According to a report by the World Bank, climate change amplifies the economic drivers for migration, with some 40 percent of the world’s population, or roughly 3.5 billion people, residing in highly climate-affected areas, which experience water scarcity, droughts, heat stress, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events, such as floods, torrents, and tropical cyclones.
With the increasing factors driving migration, the World Bank predicts that by 2050, some 216 million people across six regions around the world will be compelled to migrate within their countries’ borders.
Urgent and coordinated actions to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and support comprehensive green development that enhances resilience could reduce climate-induced migration by up to 80 percent. As per the World Bank, sub-Saharan Africa could witness up to 86 million forced internal migrations by 2050 due to climate change. In East Asia and the Pacific, this number is 49 million, as well as 40 million in South Asia, 19 million in North Africa, 17 million in Latin America, and 5 million in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Key recommendations to slow the drivers of climate-induced migration include reducing global emissions and achieving the targeted temperature levels outlined in the Paris Agreement.
Additionally, it is necessary to integrate internal migration resulting from climate change into forward-looking planning for comprehensive, resilient, and inclusive green development.