Emissions and Displacement Lead to Climate Refugee Crisis In Gaza

The destruction of buildings in the Gaza Strip has forced the relocation of over a million citizens. (Wikimedia)

Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, stated that approximately 10,000 Gazans have been displaced in the past week alone due to increased fighting near the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in a press release on April 16, 2024.   Situated in the Mediterranean, Gaza is located in one of the most climate-vulnerable regions, making the plight of displaced peoples especially dire. Over six months into the Israel-Hamas war, the fighting continues to highlight the impacts of conflict on the environment, climate change, and the resulting threat of displacement in marginalized communities. 

“Climate refugee” is an emerging term used to describe people forced to move away from their homes due to climate-related events. However, the term bears no legal weight as the 1951 Refugee Convention does not include climate change as one of the legitimate reasons for offering protection to refugees. Moreover, the majority of people displaced by climate change move within country borders, whereas the legal definition of “refugee” only refers to those who have crossed international borders to seek safety. 

However, the increasing threat of climate change on people worldwide is leading calls for countries and the international system to develop a clearer definition for climate refugees and systems that can offer more support to people impacted by climate change. According to a report by the UN Framework on Climate Change, “one displacement per second took place due to extreme weather events” in 2021. Organizations such as UN High Commissioner of Refugees have made an effort to address climate change as a leading cause of migration by creating the Strategic Plan for Climate Action 2024-2030 to outline plans to increase resiliency, protection, and sustainable self-sufficiency of communities impacted by climate events.

Climate change exacerbates these existing physical challenges that people face in conflict zones, especially with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events such as heavy rains, floods, and droughts. Moreover, climate change disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations in peripheral regions that do not receive adequate economic and political support. These communities often do not have the money or the technological knowledge to implement climate mitigation strategies that can prevent displacement and are therefore more susceptible to environmental changes. 

Studies indicate that militaries are responsible for 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which include carbon emissions from aircraft, tanks, and weapons used on the ground. In Gaza, greenhouse gasses released in the first two months since October 7 exceed the combined annual carbon emissions of more than 20 countries most vulnerable to climate change according to The Guardian. The number is even higher considering the greenhouse gas emissions from military supply production and the reconstruction of destroyed buildings. 

The impact of climate change is amplified in densely populated regions with limited water and natural resources. Israeli bombing campaigns have displaced over 85% of Gaza’s population since the onset of the war and destroyed a significant portion of Gaza’s water treatment and sanitation facilities.  The difficulty in securing safe passage out of the Gaza Strip has left the majority of the population trapped inside, internally migrating to seek shelter and find food amid the growing threat of starvation and dehydration. However, migrants are likely to experience secondary displacement due to the poor conditions and limited access to basic resources in the encampments many are forced to resort to. These consequences of the war demonstrate the compounding effects of violence and the climate crisis on vulnerable populations, signaling a rise in climate refugees.