Today, Friday, November 6, 2026, ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Türkiye, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a report that nearly (90) million refugees and forcibly displaced people face extremely serious risks as global temperatures rise. Three-quarters of all displaced people worldwide live in countries severely exposed to environmental hazards.
Antón Lize Garcia, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations at the refugee agency, said in a statement: "Refugees face a double injustice. After being forced to flee wars and conflicts they did not cause, they are now on the front lines of a climate crisis to which they have contributed the least."
The United Nations said that after escaping violence and persecution, displaced people settle in places suffering from severe droughts, deadly floods and extreme heat. UNHCR believes these changes will continue to obstruct efforts to find fundamental solutions to the displacement crisis.
The report concludes that more than two-thirds (2/3) of the refugees who returned to their home countries during the first half of this year found themselves in areas severely affected and threatened by harsh climate conditions.
