Climate Refugees

Context

Panama has become the first country to evacuate an entire island community due to climate change.

Climate Refugees

Climate Refugees are people who have been forced to leave their homes because of the effects of climate change.
Around the world climate refugees are on the rise due to extreme weather events, including floods, heat waves, droughts, and wildfires
Latin America, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa are among the regions most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Panama and climate change

Map of Panama | Panama, Isthmus of panama, Panama city panama

Panama in Central America is located on the Isthmus of Panama, the narrow bridge of land that connects North and South America.
Gardi Sugdub an island in Panama is facing the threat of rising sea levels and submergence of coastal lands
In recent times saltwater intrusion is poisoning freshwater reserves and frequent floods are causing damage to life and property.

Findings

The World Bank estimates that slow-onset climate change impacts could cause 216 million people to move within their own countries by 2050.
Over the next 50 years, climate change could leave between 1 and 3 billion people outside the narrow set of climate zones where they’ve lived for more than 6000 years.
Across Latin America and the Caribbean, the U.N. has found that 41 million people live in low-lying areas and face growing risks from increasingly frequent flooding, storms surges and hurricanes.

Implications of rising climate refugees

Climate change disrupts agricultural production and water supplies which can affect food security and access to clean water for displaced populations.
Climate refugees are vulnerable to outbreaks of diseases associated with crowded living conditions and inadequate sanitation.
The influx of climate refugees can strain local resources like water, food, and housing, leading to social tensions with host communities.
Mass displacement disrupts global supply chains and can lead to labor shortages in certain sectors hindering economic growth.
Developed countries are likely to face increasing pressure for resettlement of climate refugees leading to political clashes and social unrest.

Conclusion

Addressing climate displacement requires international cooperation on mitigation strategies and refugee resettlement programs.

Source

Today Current Affairs Upsc Exam Syllabus & Previous Yearpaper.