UNHCR Report Shows Extreme Weather Drives Repeated Displacement as COP30 Focuses on Collaboration and Action – Ark Valley Voice

Report on Climate-Induced Displacement and its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), released in conjunction with the COP30 Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil, details the severe impact of extreme weather on displaced populations. The findings indicate that climate shocks are creating a cycle of conflict and repeated displacement, significantly impeding progress toward multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report highlights that millions of refugees and their host communities are disproportionately affected by climate-related hazards, yet receive inadequate support, threatening global stability and humanitarian principles.

Key Findings: The Scale of the Crisis

The UNHCR report presents data illustrating the critical intersection of displacement and climate vulnerability, which directly challenges the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• By mid-2025, 117 million people were displaced due to conflict and persecution. Of these, 75 percent are located in countries with high-to-extreme exposure to climate hazards, undermining SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
• Over the past decade, weather-related disasters have caused approximately 250 million internal displacements, averaging 70,000 displacements per day.
• Climate-related events such as floods, heatwaves, and water shortages are intensifying humanitarian needs in nations from South Sudan and Brazil to Chad and Ethiopia.

Impact on Core Sustainable Development Goals

The compounding effects of climate change and displacement create significant barriers to achieving fundamental SDGs for the world’s most vulnerable populations.

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) & SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Basic survival systems are under strain. In Chad, refugees receive less than 10 liters of water daily, below the World Health Organization’s minimum standard of 15 liters. Furthermore, refugee camps in Gambia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Mali face up to 200 days of hazardous heat stress annually, posing severe health risks.
• SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Environmental degradation exacerbates poverty and food insecurity. The report notes that three-quarters of Africa’s land is deteriorating, with over half of refugee settlements located in areas of severe ecological stress. This diminishes access to food, water, and income.
• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): Climate-linked livelihood losses are a documented driver of recruitment into armed groups, particularly in the Sahel region. This demonstrates a direct link between environmental stress and the erosion of peace and stability.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): A significant disparity exists in climate finance. Countries hosting refugees receive only a quarter of the necessary climate funding, and these funds often fail to reach the affected communities, deepening inequalities.

Recommendations for Integrated Climate Action and Development

In light of these challenges, UNHCR urges the international community, governments, and financial institutions to take decisive action that aligns with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals. The focus of COP30 on implementation provides a critical opportunity to address these gaps.

1. Promote Inclusive Climate Planning: Displaced and host communities must be included in national climate plans and decision-making processes to ensure policies are effective and equitable, directly supporting SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
2. Invest in Adaptation and Resilience: Targeted investment in climate adaptation and resilience-building is essential for the communities most at risk. This is a core component of achieving SDG 13 (Climate Action).
3. Ensure Equitable Climate Finance: Financial mechanisms must be reformed to ensure that climate funding reaches the local level where it is most needed, protecting livelihoods and preventing further displacement.
4. Strengthen Global Partnerships: International collaboration, as emphasized by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at COP30, is crucial. Fulfilling commitments to climate action is a prerequisite for achieving SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and preventing further devastation among vulnerable populations.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • The article highlights how climate shocks are “destroying homes and livelihoods,” which directly contributes to poverty. It mentions that displaced people “have the fewest resources to recover,” trapping them in a cycle of poverty and vulnerability.
2. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • The article states that land deterioration is “shrinking access to food, water, and income.” This directly impacts food security for displaced populations and host communities, linking the issues to the goal of ending hunger.
3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article points to serious health risks, noting that some refugee camps “may experience up to 200 days or more of hazardous heat stress each year,” which poses “serious risks to health and survival.” The lack of sufficient clean water also impacts health and hygiene.
4. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • A specific example is given: “In Chad, refugees from conflicts in Sudan receive less than 10 liters of water each day,” which is below the WHO minimum standard. This directly addresses the lack of access to clean and sufficient water.
5. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The article focuses on refugees and displaced people, who are among the most vulnerable groups. It notes that they are disproportionately affected by climate change and are often overlooked in national climate plans, highlighting a significant inequality.
6. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • This is the central theme of the article. It discusses climate shocks, extreme weather events (floods, heatwaves, droughts), the need for climate finance, adaptation, and resilience-building, all of which are core components of SDG 13. The context of the COP30 conference reinforces this connection.
7. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • The report mentions that “three-quarters of Africa’s land is deteriorating” and that many refugee settlements are “in areas under severe ecological stress.” This directly relates to the degradation of terrestrial ecosystems.
8. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The article links climate change to conflict, stating that “climate-linked livelihood losses are driving recruitment into armed groups.” It also discusses the displacement of 117 million people due to “war, violence, and persecution,” which are issues central to SDG 16. The call to include displaced people in decision-making also aligns with this goal.
9. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article is framed around the COP30 climate conference, emphasizing the need for international collaboration. It discusses the “inequitable climate finance system” and urges governments, financial institutions, and the international community to take decisive action and ensure funds reach those in need, which is the essence of global partnerships for sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 1.5: By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters.
   • The article’s focus on refugees and displaced people being repeatedly displaced by extreme weather and having the “fewest resources to recover” directly relates to this target of building resilience for vulnerable populations.
2. Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
   • The mention that refugees in Chad receive “less than 10 liters of water each day,” below the WHO minimum, is a clear example of the failure to meet this target for a specific vulnerable group.
3. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • The article repeatedly calls for investing in “adaptation and resilience-building” for displaced and host communities who are facing climate shocks like floods, droughts, and extreme heat.
4. Target 13.b: Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities.
   • The UNHCR’s call to “include displaced people and host communities in climate planning and decision-making” directly aligns with this target’s focus on including marginalized communities in climate planning.
5. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
   • The article links environmental stress to conflict, noting that “climate-linked livelihood losses are driving recruitment into armed groups” and describes displacement caused by “war, violence, and persecution.”
6. Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals.
   • The discussion on the “inequitable climate finance system” and the need for funding to “reach the communities already living on the edge” points to the necessity of targeted international support and finance as described in this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Number of people displaced by conflict and disaster: The article states, “117 million people were displaced by war, violence, and persecution by mid-2025,” and “Weather-related disasters have caused around 250 million internal displacements over the last 10 years.” These figures are direct indicators of the scale of displacement (relevant to SDG 1, 10, 16).
2. Proportion of displaced people exposed to climate hazards: The statistic that “Three in four (75 percent) [of displaced people] are in countries facing high-to-extreme exposure to climate-related hazards” serves as an indicator of the vulnerability of this group to climate change (relevant to SDG 1, 13).
3. Access to basic services (water): The specific measure that “refugees from conflicts in Sudan receive less than 10 liters of water each day” is a quantifiable indicator of the lack of access to basic services, which can be measured against the WHO standard of 15 liters (relevant to SDG 6).
4. Exposure to health risks: The mention that the “hottest fifteen refugee camps… may experience up to 200 days or more of hazardous heat stress each year” is an indicator of the health risks faced by refugee populations (relevant to SDG 3).
5. Rate of land degradation: The data point that “three-quarters of Africa’s land is deteriorating” is a direct indicator of environmental degradation in a region hosting many displaced people (relevant to SDG 15).
6. Climate finance distribution: The statement that “At-risk countries hosting refugees receive only a quarter of the climate finance needed” is an indicator of the gap in financial support and the inequitable distribution of climate funds (relevant to SDG 13, 17).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: arkvalleyvoice.com