Government Constructs 139 Buildings for Climate Refugees

Bangladesh is stepping up initiatives to protect 4,409 climate displaced people in Cox’s Bazaar refugee settlement, which the government is dubbing the largest refugee project in the world. A further 55 multi-storied buildings will be constructed across the country for ‘climate refugees’ in a quest to cut poverty, provide land, housing, and broad livelihood and development assistance to populations affected by natural disasters such as cyclones, floods and river erosion. (New Age Bangladesh)

Analysis:

Of course, Bangladeshi citizens internally displaced by climate change are classified as internally displaced persons even if for environmental grounds such as climate change.

Are We Thinking About Climate Migration All Wrong?

Much of the existing climate migration modeling grabs our attention with its massive numbers of looming large-scale displacements, but can it also miss the details of the fuller picture, not just in terms of numbers, but also of the exact shape and form this displacement might take since it lacks scientific certainty, ultimately pushing policymakers, in the wrong direction?

For example, many experts expect the displacement to be internal and happen slowly over time, and usually not very far. Some experts feel that assigning an expected number helps to galvanize political will while others contend apocalyptic messaging fans the flames of existing nationalism and xenophobia spreading around the world. 

Francois Gemenne, a leading expert in this topic, contends that presenting the situation as something unmanageable fuels prejudices and invites government surveillance.” (Rolling Stone)

Analysis:

It should be noted that while most climate migration or climate displacement may be internal, multiple displacements or states’ continuous inabilities to meet the needs of displaced populations could bring about situations which force individuals to seek assistance and protection across borders.

Furthermore, an increasing area of concern in some urban cities like the Miami neighborhoods of Little Haiti and Liberty City is “climate gentrification” as one Harvard study put it, which explores whether natural disasters can make lower-income inland neighborhoods more attractive to wealthier migrants who seek to offset their risks to climate change by buying up real estate that risks “displacing” local residents in the process.

WMO Warns Widespread Transmission of Dengue Due to Climate Change

Just as the coronavirus wreaks panic across the globe, the UN’s weather body, The World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) report last week warned of the increased risk of dengue fever to about half of the world’s population due to rising temperatures and erratic rainfall, making it easier for the Aedes mosquito species to transmit the virus. Dengue is now the fastest spreading mosquito-borne viral disease in the world, increasing from only 9 countries in the world in the 1970’s to 128 countries that strikes 96 million people each year. 

Last week we shared the report’s findings that global hunger was on the rise as well as climate displacement, which internally displaced more than 6.7 million people last year. (The Pioneer)