Intersectionality on Earth Day: Refugees and the Climate Crisis

By: Fatimah Alawami

Earth Day is a time to pause, reflect, and appreciate the beauty and abundance of our planet. It is also a moment to consider our individual and collective impact on the environment, and our responsibility to nurture it for present and future generations. However, Earth Day’s message sometimes becomes simplified, which detracts from the pressing realities that many face due to global warming and climate crises. Specifically, the effects of climate change on communities in vulnerable regions are often excluded from the conversation. On this day, education about climate change’s impact should be just as central as celebration. 

  One of the most urgent yet overlooked realities of the climate crisis is displacement. Millions of people are affected by climate displacement yearly, and the numbers continue to increase. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), of the over 120 million forcibly displaced worldwide, three-quarters live in countries heavily impacted by climate change . These numbers reflect the millions of lives that have been uprooted by forces beyond their control. 

  Displacement means a forcible removal from one’s home, often in search of refuge. It can consist of internal movement, which means moving to another region in the state. In more extreme cases, folks are fleeing to a neighboring state, or internationally. No matter the distance, the emotional and physical toll can be immense. And for climate refugees, who are forced to migrate due to these environmental disasters, they often have no legal protection under current refugee frameworks. The 1951 Refugee Convention  defines a refugee as "someone fleeing persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion”. This definition does not include those displaced solely due to climate-related factors.

  Unfortunately, already-vulnerable communities are disproportionately affected by these consequences. Issues of food shortage, water access, and under-resourced infrastructures are further exacerbated by unpredictable climates. Internal and external displacements skyrocket as a result of climate change and global warming. Vulnerable communities in Pakistan and Myanmar are powerful examples of this. The situations in Myanmar and Pakistan, while unique, share an intense reality in which marginalized communities are often the first to suffer and the last to be helped when environmental crises hit.

  Pakistan is ranked as the 8th most vulnerable country to climate change globally, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. The country regularly experiences extreme weather events that are deeply entangled with the political and social climate. In 2022, Pakistan faced a devastating flood that displaced 7.9 million people, both internally and globally. This flood is one of many to destroy homes, farmland, and infrastructure. Events like these demonstrate how climate change drives mass displacement across various regions. Despite this,

.   In Myanmar, climate change has a direct impact on violent conflict and migration. Climate shocks, like severe storms, flooding, and droughts, heighten the already fragile social conditions, making it harder for communities to break out of the cycles of instability. The constant uncertainty of the weather, layered with political and social unrest, creates an environment where vulnerability becomes the norm. In 2023, Cyclone Mocha struck Myanmar and resulted in the evacuation of over 100,000 people and an impact of over 2.3 million. The stateless Rohingya were disproportionately impacted, although nearly 930,000 were affected. Unlike other populations, they were largely denied humanitarian aid and access to resources, despite facing the same, if not more extreme, physical destruction.

. The Rohingya people are a muslim ethnic minority group that have lived in Myanmar for generations. Despite this long history, the Rohingya are not recognized as an official ethnic group and have been denied citizenship since 1982, making them the world’s largest stateless population. They have long been denied basic human rights and are already extremely vulnerable to exploitation and poverty. The effects of climate only intensify their struggles by exacerbating the ongoing refugee crisis.

Climate change isn’t just an environmental issue. It’s a cause of displacement, a racial justice issue, and a growing cause of forced migration. A 2021 World Bank report estimated that by 2050, the climate crisis could drive more than 200 million people to move. This is a crisis that affects us all, directly or indirectly, and we must respond to it with urgency, compassion, and equity. Earth Day should not only be recognized as a celebration, but a time to truly acknowledge the realities that displaced communities experience as a result of climate change around the world.