According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, there could be more than 1 billion climate migrants by 2050. Extreme weather conditions, water and food shortages, conflict, and even loss of infrastructure and jobs result in many people being displaced within their own countries, while others have to leave their countries altogether. For many, migration may become permanent. Gradually rising temperatures, sea levels, air pollution, and other problems will make some countries uninhabitable. Building and funding technology to support climate migrants is a critical global need and perhaps a historic opportunity for scalable solutions with long-term impact.
Most of the funding for climate change technology to date has gone toward reducing and eliminating greenhouse gas emissions. A green transition cannot happen without significant investment in clean renewable energy and the decarbonization of the entire economy. If we don't, we can't even hope to slow global warming.
But in parallel, climate change will continue to create instability, especially for vulnerable populations. More than 3 billion people live in countries that are highly susceptible to the effects of climate change, and a large proportion of climate migrants are likely to arrive. Displacements are already occurring, with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees saying that between 2008 and 2016, an average of 21.5 million people were forced to flee each year due to weather-related events. For example, in Mexico, more than 2 million people have been internally displaced by climate-related storms and floods since 2008.
The problem is global. In some cases, onset may be delayed. Bangladesh's major cities are sinking, and densely populated cities are highly susceptible to immigration. In other cases, confusion occurs sooner. For example, the June 2022 floods in Pakistan displaced nearly 8 million people. Wealthy countries face the same challenges. More than 3 million Americans have been forced to resettle due to flood risk in recent years.
This number is alarming. While there is no single sudden event that causes climate change on a global scale, and it is difficult to know exactly when and where displacement will be most severe, one thing is certain: climate change will be critical to forced migration. It has had a significant impact and will continue to have an impact in the future. Immigration.
Historically, the climate technology community has been a catalyst for monitoring, reducing, and removing emissions. Expanding it to include immigration may feel like a stretch, but with such huge numbers of people moving, we can't think in silos. .
So where do I start?
One starting point is renewable energy. The International Renewable Energy Agency and UNHCR, among others, have been considering using renewable energy to provide independent power to refugees. Access to affordable and sustainable energy is critical for displaced populations and host communities, and this is an area that the climate technology community is familiar with.
But the needs will go far beyond energy and decarbonization. Adaptation and resilience will be key. Among other things, everything from drought-resistant seeds to stronger building codes, insurance and strengthened infrastructure are all on the table. Although there are no guarantees, these solutions can help improve the livability of a given area, at least in the short term. These solutions will help ensure fewer people lose their homes, but they are also important as climate migration increases in host communities.
Predictive analytics is also essential to building resilience and adapting accordingly. For example, the United Nations is using AI to predict migration crises and advise governments on how to support displaced people. Similarly, the Migration Policy Lab built algorithms to help governments assess refugee needs, and the Danish Refugee Council collaborated with IBM on a similar project. In parallel, tech giants like Meta and Microsoft are partnering with humanitarian agencies to track climate migrants using biometrics and blockchain technology. These efforts can help inform how best to support immigrants, but they must also apply the highest standards for privacy and ethical concerns.
But the challenges will extend beyond traditional climate technology solutions. Education, health care, and employment needs, to name just a few, will all increase. To address these areas, the climate technology community will need to broker new partnerships and collaborate with policymakers, civil society leaders, humanitarian actors, and others, among others. City authorities and civil society organizations in particular must be equipped with a wide range of policy and technical tools to support resettlement efforts. In fact, they may need to expand the purpose of climate technology and think beyond reducing global warming to address basic human needs, especially those of the most vulnerable.
Of course, technology alone can only do so much, and there is no silver bullet. But ask any climate change technology expert and they'll tell you we've only scratched the surface in terms of what human innovation can do in the face of the climate crisis.
