In one recent estimate, 1.1 million displaced people crossed international borders to seek protection from disasters. Another study found 2.8 million refugees and asylum seekers in the EU were indirectly affected by climate and disaster risks. These figures frame a wider strain on host communities, where 70% of refugees under UNHCR's mandate live in cities or local communities.
Key Takeaways
- 2.8 million refugees and asylum seekers in the EU were affected by climate and disaster risks indirectly (study estimates based on disaster vulnerability and mobility drivers).
- 1.1 million displaced people crossed international borders seeking protection from disasters in 2022 (UNHCR estimate in the context of climate-related displacement discussions).
- In 2022, UNHCR reported that 70% of refugees under its mandate live in urban settings or host communities (service-demand pressure).
- In 2023, UNHCR reported 117 million people in need of humanitarian assistance including refugees and displaced people (needs estimate).
- In 2023, UNICEF reported supporting 36.6 million people (children) affected by emergencies (humanitarian response capacity measure relevant to climate disasters).
- 1.2 million people were exposed to coastal flooding in the European Union in 2018 (JRC coastal flooding exposure figure used in climate hazard displacement risk).
- Arctic sea ice extent declined by about 13% per decade in September from 1979 to 2020 (NASA climate trend; contributes to climate impacts that drive mobility pressures).
- Global greenhouse gas concentrations reached 419.3 ppm CO2 in 2024 (NOAA measurement; used for climate risk and displacement projections).
- In 2022, the IFRC estimated that 226 million people were affected by disasters globally (disaster exposure measure tied to displacement).
- In 2021, conflict and disasters together displaced 18.9 million people internally in Colombia (where hydro-climate disasters contribute to displacement dynamics; IDMC country reporting).
- In 2020, drought affected 55.2 million people in Ethiopia (as reported in WFP/UN-OCHA humanitarian impact figures contributing to mobility).
- In 2022, 88 countries had submitted at least one National Adaptation Plan (NDC/NAP tracking in UNFCCC repository).
- In 2020, the EU adopted Regulation (EU) 2020/852 for sustainable activities taxonomy—used by adaptation finance flows that can mitigate climate displacement drivers.
- In 2023, the New Zealand government reported that 38% of local councils had completed climate adaptation plans (public sector adaptation planning statistic).
- 1.2 million new displacements were recorded in 2023 due to weather-related hazards in Pakistan (IDMC country figure).
Millions of climate and disaster-linked displacements are straining protection, services, and adaptation worldwide.
Related reading
01 · Category
Humanitarian Response7 stats
01
In 2022, UNHCR reported that 70% of refugees under its mandate live in urban settings or host communities (service-demand pressure).
02
In 2023, UNHCR reported 117 million people in need of humanitarian assistance including refugees and displaced people (needs estimate).
03
In 2023, UNICEF reported supporting 36.6 million people (children) affected by emergencies (humanitarian response capacity measure relevant to climate disasters).
04
In 2022, UN OCHA reported $39.4 billion requested globally for humanitarian aid (resource gap impacts disaster displacement response).
05
In 2021, CERF allocated $544 million for sudden-onset disasters and displacement-related responses (UN CERF funding amount).
06
In 2023, the Global Shelter Cluster reported coordinating shelter and settlement support for 8.1 million people affected by disasters (cluster reach figure).
07
In 2023, UNHCR’s global appeal required $10.1 billion to assist refugees and displaced people (funding needs for responses).
Interpretation
Humanitarian Response Interpretation
For the Humanitarian Response to climate-related displacement, the scale is vast and growing, with UNHCR estimating 117 million people needing assistance in 2023, UNICEF reaching 36.6 million children affected by emergencies, and humanitarian aid needs reaching $39.4 billion globally in 2022.
02 · Category
Socioeconomic Impacts5 stats
01
In 2022, the IFRC estimated that 226 million people were affected by disasters globally (disaster exposure measure tied to displacement).
02
In 2021, conflict and disasters together displaced 18.9 million people internally in Colombia (where hydro-climate disasters contribute to displacement dynamics; IDMC country reporting).
03
In 2020, drought affected 55.2 million people in Ethiopia (as reported in WFP/UN-OCHA humanitarian impact figures contributing to mobility).
04
As of 2023, 1.7 million people were out of school due to disaster displacement in conflict-affected contexts in Africa (UNICEF education disruption reporting).
05
In 2022, heatwaves were responsible for 47,000 excess deaths in Europe (peer-reviewed health impact statistic underlying heat-driven mobility risk).
Interpretation
Socioeconomic Impacts Interpretation
Across socioeconomic impacts, climate related pressures are reaching mass scale, with 226 million people affected by disasters globally in 2022 and heatwaves causing 47,000 excess deaths in Europe, while displacement linked to conflict and disasters reaches 18.9 million internally in Colombia in 2021 and 1.7 million children are kept out of school in disaster displacement situations across conflict affected Africa by 2023.
03 · Category
Policy And Governance5 stats
01
In 2022, 88 countries had submitted at least one National Adaptation Plan (NDC/NAP tracking in UNFCCC repository).
02
In 2020, the EU adopted Regulation (EU) 2020/852 for sustainable activities taxonomy—used by adaptation finance flows that can mitigate climate displacement drivers.
03
In 2023, the New Zealand government reported that 38% of local councils had completed climate adaptation plans (public sector adaptation planning statistic).
04
In 2022, $28.6 billion of climate finance was committed globally for adaptation (OECD/CPIB climate finance tracking figure).
05
In 2023, the UNFCCC reported that adaptation communication submissions reached 77% of Parties (governance readiness measure).
Interpretation
Policy And Governance Interpretation
From 2022 to 2023, policy and governance momentum for protecting climate refugees is clearly building as more countries institutionalize adaptation planning, with 88 countries submitting at least one National Adaptation Plan in 2022 and adaptation communications rising to 77% of Parties by 2023.
More related reading
04 · Category
Projection And Risk4 stats
01
1.2 million people were exposed to coastal flooding in the European Union in 2018 (JRC coastal flooding exposure figure used in climate hazard displacement risk).
02
Arctic sea ice extent declined by about 13% per decade in September from 1979 to 2020 (NASA climate trend; contributes to climate impacts that drive mobility pressures).
03
Global greenhouse gas concentrations reached 419.3 ppm CO2 in 2024 (NOAA measurement; used for climate risk and displacement projections).
04
A 2021 study estimated that climate change could drive internal migration up to 10.3 million people in South Asia by 2050 (modeled internal displacement number).
Interpretation
Projection And Risk Interpretation
Projection and risk signals are intensifying as coastal flooding exposed 1.2 million people in the European Union in 2018, Arctic sea ice has declined about 13% per decade since 1979, and greenhouse gas levels reached 419.3 ppm CO2 in 2024, with a 2021 estimate suggesting climate change could push internal migration in South Asia as high as 10.3 million people by 2050.
05 · Category
Policy & Finance4 stats
01
79% of countries reported that drought affected migration and displacement in national adaptation or vulnerability documents assessed in a 2020 international review (survey of national documents).
02
USD 7.9 billion in climate-related funding was committed by the development finance sector in 2022 (OECD Development Finance data as reported in a public tracker by Climate Policy Initiative).
03
Over 75 countries had at least one national disaster-risk financing mechanism by 2022 (World Bank review of disaster risk financing instruments).
04
USD 2.1 billion in adaptation-related grants was disbursed in 2022 across 3 multilateral funds combined (Climate Funds Update consolidated public tracking).
Interpretation
Policy & Finance Interpretation
Policy and finance are increasingly treating climate displacement as a priority, with 79% of countries citing drought linked to migration in national plans and climate and disaster risk financing rising in scale such as USD 7.9 billion committed in 2022 and USD 2.1 billion in adaptation grants disbursed across multilateral funds.
06 · Category
Industry Overview13 stats
01
38.9 million people were recorded as refugees and asylum seekers worldwide in 2023 (UNHCR Global Trends report).
02
8.5 million refugees were under UNHCR's mandate in 2022 (UNHCR Global Trends).
03
56% of forcibly displaced people are under age 18 (UNICEF data on conflict and disaster-affected displacement demographics).
04
In 2023, 68% of refugees were hosted in low- and middle-income countries (World Bank report referencing UNHCR data).
05
1.3 million drought-related internal displacements were recorded in Iran between 2008 and 2018 (peer-reviewed study using disaster displacement records).
06
In a 2020 empirical study, rainfall shocks increased the risk of out-migration by 4.6 percentage points in the short term (peer-reviewed causal inference estimate).
07
In 2019, 12.1% of households in Somalia reported drought-related migration intentions (survey-based figure from a humanitarian needs assessment).
08
2.8 million refugees and asylum seekers in the EU were affected by climate and disaster risks indirectly (study estimates based on disaster vulnerability and mobility drivers).
09
1.1 million displaced people crossed international borders seeking protection from disasters in 2022 (UNHCR estimate in the context of climate-related displacement discussions).
10
1.2 million new displacements were recorded in 2023 due to weather-related hazards in Pakistan (IDMC country figure).
11
6.1 million displacements were recorded in 2023 in the Philippines due to disasters and weather-related hazards (IDMC country figure).
12
4.4 million square kilometers of land are exposed to coastal flooding hazards globally (World Bank coastal flooding exposure assessment).
13
2.3 billion people lived in countries with high exposure to tropical cyclones in 2019 (World Bank climate hazard exposure analysis).
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
In an industry marked by climate-driven displacement, UNHCR recorded 38.9 million refugees and asylum seekers worldwide in 2023, and 68% were hosted in low and middle-income countries, showing that the burden of climate refugee flows falls largely on developing markets and systems.
report visual · Projection
Climate-related displacement is rising alongside humanitarian strain
Recent years show large and sustained exposure and humanitarian need tied to climate and disaster drivers.
2,020 people
Start
-73.2%
CAGR · 3y
38.9 people
Projected
20202023
source-verifiedreliefweb.int · internal-displacement.org · unhcr.org2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
David Kowalski. (2026, February 13). Climate Refugees Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/climate-refugees-statistics
MLA
David Kowalski. "Climate Refugees Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/climate-refugees-statistics.
Chicago
David Kowalski. 2026. "Climate Refugees Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/climate-refugees-statistics.
Sources & references
38 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+15 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)