Climate Change and Human Displacement: Some Reflections from Africa

Livelihood and food insecurity, water shortages, spread of diseases, and human displacement present immediate climate change threats and challenges in Africa. The possibility of an increase in the number of people displaced by environmental disasters in Africa is supported by forecasts of weather extremes (floods and droughts) and degraded natural resources. This is compounded by the continent’s low adaptive capacity. Drawing primarily from the various IPCC and IOM reports, and selected published literature, this chapter presents a critical review of the impacts of climate change in Africa with a specific focus on human displacement. Predictions suggest that 1.5% of Africa’s current population (1.5bn) are likely to move because of climate change. A key contention from a geopolitical perspective is that while Africa has contributed the least to the problem, it is the most vulnerable region in the world to climate change. Terms such as “climate change refugee” or “environmental refugee” are widely used in the media but these terms are a misnomer under international law and draw attention to the increasing significance of protection and human rights issues for those likely to be displaced by environmental change. More than 70 years since its initial promulgation, the 1951 Convention should be revised to incorporate contemporary migration challenges, especially climate change/environmental refugees.