Climate change and conflict drive global displacement

Global displacement is increasingly driven by both environmental factors and armed conflict. According to UNHCR, an average of 70,000 people per day have become displaced due to climate causes over the last decade. This movement lacks a universal legal framework, as climate displacement is not currently recognized under the Geneva Convention on Refugees.

In Bangladesh, approximately 2.4 million people were displaced in 2024 due to natural disasters, including cyclones, tropical storms, rising sea levels, and Himalayan glacial melt. Meanwhile, in Colombia, legal precedents have begun to recognize environmental factors as valid causes for displacement alongside violence and armed conflict.

In Colombia, the Defensoría del Pueblo reported that between January and July 2026, 17,892 people were forced to displace to protect their lives. The entity recorded 99 displacement incidents, including 12 mass displacement events. Additionally, 51 confinement events limited the mobility of over 72,000 people, primarily in regions such as Chocó, Putumayo, and Cauca.