Nearly 90 million forcibly displaced people worldwide are living in countries increasingly exposed to climate-related disasters, with almost three-quarters residing in high-risk countries such as Bangladesh and Afghanistan, according to a new report by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).
The report, released ahead of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Türkiye, warns that rising temperatures, droughts, floods and extreme heat are worsening the challenges faced by displaced communities and calls for increased funding to help them adapt to climate change, reports Reuters.
The findings highlight the growing intersection of conflict, forced displacement and climate risks, particularly in countries already struggling with humanitarian crises.
“Climate adaptation in fragile and displacement-affected areas is a matter of survival,” said Anton Leis Garcia, UNHCR’s assistant high commissioner for operations.
“We need climate financing to reach the communities where the needs are greatest,” he added.
Nearly 75 per cent of the world’s forcibly displaced population lives in countries such as Bangladesh and Afghanistan, which face severe climate-related threats.
The report illustrated the growing crisis through the experience of a Sudanese refugee who fled fighting in Al-Fashir in June 2023 and sought shelter at the Farchana refugee settlement in eastern Chad.
The refugee said she sometimes goes an entire week without finding safe drinking water. As nearby seasonal riverbeds dry up amid rising temperatures, she has to walk increasingly longer distances to find alternative water sources.
UNHCR also warned that climate change is making the sustainable return of displaced people to their homes increasingly difficult.
During the first half of 2026, more than two-thirds of refugee returns were to countries highly exposed to climate hazards, leaving returnees vulnerable to further displacement, the report said.
In Syria, where nearly four million displaced people have recently returned, worsening water shortages and irregular rainfall are creating additional challenges. Flooding along the Euphrates River in May also damaged homes and displaced thousands, according to the report.
Extreme heat threatens refugee settlements
The report warned that extreme temperatures could pose serious threats to refugee communities across sub-Saharan Africa.
By 2050, one in three refugee settlements in the region could experience at least 100 days of dangerous heat annually, threatening residents’ health and livelihoods.
In some settlements in Ethiopia, including Helaweyn, extreme heat could persist for more than 200 days a year, increasing the risks of heatstroke and premature deaths.
“Refugees often have limited access to cooling, water and reliable energy, making it harder to escape dangerous temperatures,” the report said.
UNHCR also cautioned that a forecast exceptionally strong El Niño could intensify climate-related threats in several refugee-hosting countries and trigger further displacement.
In East Africa, severe flooding could displace up to three million people in Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda by the end of this year, the agency warned.
Meanwhile, droughts, floods and ongoing conflicts could intensify competition over scarce resources in the Sahel region. Several parts of Asia are also facing increased threats from droughts, floods and cyclones.
UN urges more climate funding
Ahead of COP31, UNHCR called on governments and climate-financing institutions to increase support for climate adaptation in vulnerable communities, particularly those affected by conflict and displacement.
The agency noted that only around 10 per cent of global climate financing reaches fragile and conflict-affected countries, despite their growing exposure to climate-related disasters.
The call comes as a separate UN report released on Wednesday found that wealthy nations were falling significantly short of the $305 billion needed annually to help developing countries adapt to climate change.
The report also warned that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, further increasing the financial and humanitarian burden on vulnerable nations.
