Climate change as a humanitarian crisis

AliReza Shams Lahijani, volunteer at UNIC in Tehran

Today, we hear about one phenomenon more than any other: climate change. The planet’s temperature is rising and as the climate changes, an increase in dramatic weather conditions and disasters, not just storms and droughts, will have devastating effects on people’s lives.


Combating climate change disasters must be a top priority along with cutting our emissions. The 2004 tsunami is a prime example of a lack of disaster preparation, but there have been other incidents too. For example, a haze from the Arabian Desert recently polluted Iranian cities, forcing the government to close them down due to concerns for people’s health. People were not sure what to do, even though the Arabian haze is a perennial occurrence in Iran. However, this year the dust storms were exceptionally strong and widespread. Greater vulnerability, lack of education and inadequate disaster alert systems thus intensify climate change related threats.


Climate change disasters will undoubtedly result in more humanitarian crises. More people will be pushed into poverty as living costs increase and livelihoods dependent on the environment will become threatened due to the depletion of scarce resources. Furthermore, water and food shortages may cause or exacerbate tensions between communities. These have the potential to spill over into violent conflicts or lead to tensions between neighbouring areas. National security may also be endangered because many countries are dependent on foreign natural resources and energy. With this in mind, the UN Security Council held its first ever session on the impact of climate change on security in April 2007. The session also addressed doubts raised by certain delegates over whether the Council was the proper forum to discuss the issue.


Flooding, rising sea levels and land degradation can be forceful drivers of migration. We must be prepared for a new type of migrant or refugee, the so-called ‘climate change migrant.’ Craig Johnstone, the U.N. Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, warned in December 2008 that six million people each year could be uprooted, about half of them, because of weather related disasters, such as floods and storms. Women and children are most vulnerable in migration and the most likely to be harmed by climate change. Furthermore, the Geneva-based Global Humanitarian Forum’s report claims that the annual death toll caused by climate change is expected to rise to half a million by 2030.


Tackling climate change requires a global and comprehensive response. Reducing greenhouse gases, adapting to changing weather patterns, raising awareness, educating the public and getting prepared for natural disasters are all great challenges that must be addressed on the international level. However, common threats can also create new alliances. Climate change affects all the people of the world; tackling this threat together could be the basis for creating new forms of cooperation. ■


Image: IRIN-Manoocher_Deghati