Climate change and disasters are already reshaping where people can live safely. In 2025, global CO2 levels reached record highs at 419.3 ppm, tightening the pressure on food, water, and coastlines that households often rely on. These pressures help explain why millions of refugees and disaster displaced people end up crossing borders or moving within countries, often into urban host communities that are struggling to keep up.
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
Displacement Estimates2 stats
01
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).
02
1.1 million displaced people crossed international borders seeking protection from disasters in 2022 (UNHCR estimate in the context of climate-related displacement discussions).
Interpretation
Displacement Estimates Interpretation
Under the Displacement Estimates framing, the figures show that in 2022 alone 1.1 million displaced people crossed international borders for disaster protection, and broader study estimates suggest 2.8 million refugees and asylum seekers in the EU were affected indirectly by climate and disaster risks.
02 · 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
In 2023, humanitarian response for climate-linked displacement appears stretched as demand rises to 117 million people in need while funding targets remain massive, with UNHCR’s global appeal requiring $10.1 billion and shelter support reaching 8.1 million, highlighting a serious capacity and resource challenge.
03 · 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
With global CO2 reaching 419.3 ppm in 2024 and Arctic sea ice shrinking by about 13% per decade since 1979, projections and risk for climate displacement are sharpening, including estimates that climate change could drive up to 10.3 million people into internal migration in South Asia by 2050 and that 1.2 million people were already exposed to coastal flooding in the European Union in 2018.
04 · 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-linked disruption is scaling fast as disasters affected 226 million people globally in 2022 and, by 2023, 1.7 million children in Africa were kept out of school due to disaster displacement in conflict-affected contexts.
05 · 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
In the Policy and Governance space, progress is clearly accelerating with 88 countries submitting at least one national adaptation plan by 2022 and adaptation communications reaching 77 percent of Parties in 2023, even as global adaptation finance commitments stand at 28.6 billion dollars in 2022.
More related reading
06 · Category
Displacement Burden2 stats
01
1.2 million new displacements were recorded in 2023 due to weather-related hazards in Pakistan (IDMC country figure).
02
6.1 million displacements were recorded in 2023 in the Philippines due to disasters and weather-related hazards (IDMC country figure).
Interpretation
Displacement Burden Interpretation
Under the Displacement Burden lens, 6.1 million people were displaced in the Philippines in 2023 due to disasters and weather-related hazards, far outpacing Pakistan’s 1.2 million new displacement cases and showing how this category is being driven by severe, large-scale impacts.
07 · Category
Disaster Exposure2 stats
01
4.4 million square kilometers of land are exposed to coastal flooding hazards globally (World Bank coastal flooding exposure assessment).
02
2.3 billion people lived in countries with high exposure to tropical cyclones in 2019 (World Bank climate hazard exposure analysis).
Interpretation
Disaster Exposure Interpretation
Under the Disaster Exposure lens, coastal flooding hazards cover 4.4 million square kilometers globally and by 2019 about 2.3 billion people lived in high tropical cyclone exposure countries, showing that climate-driven disasters affect vast land and enormous populations at once.
08 · Category
Migration Drivers3 stats
01
1.3 million drought-related internal displacements were recorded in Iran between 2008 and 2018 (peer-reviewed study using disaster displacement records).
02
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).
03
In 2019, 12.1% of households in Somalia reported drought-related migration intentions (survey-based figure from a humanitarian needs assessment).
Interpretation
Migration Drivers Interpretation
For the migration drivers category, the evidence points to drought as a direct push factor with Iran recording 1.3 million drought related internal displacements from 2008 to 2018, rainfall shocks raising short term out migration risk by 4.6 percentage points in 2020, and Somalia households showing 12.1% drought related migration intentions in 2019.
09 · 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
In the Policy and Finance space, climate action is increasingly backed by money and tools, with 79 percent of countries citing drought related migration in adaptation plans and about USD 7.9 billion in development finance committed in 2022 alongside more than 75 countries using disaster risk financing mechanisms.
10 · Category
Who Is Affected4 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).
Interpretation
Who Is Affected Interpretation
For the “Who Is Affected” category, the data shows that the climate and conflict-driven displacement crisis is broad and generational, with 38.9 million people recorded as refugees and asylum seekers worldwide in 2023 and 56% of forcibly displaced people under age 18.
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)