It is estimated that around 143 million persons could become “climate migrants†by 2050, if nothing is done to combat climate change within the specified period. This was revealed in a report published yesterday March 19, by World Bank.
The major part of these people (86 million) will come from sub-Saharan Africa, the report indicated. This flow in migration could be as the result of a sharp collapse in agriculture output, a severe water crisis as well as the rising of sea level in the next four decades.
South Asia and Latin America will also record a large part with 40 million and 17 million climate migrants, respectively.
"Every day, climate change becomes a more urgent economic, social and existential threat to countries and their people," said Kristalina Georgieva World Bank’s CEO who added that the issue is tangible in cities facing unprecedented water crisis,coastal areas experiencing destructive storm spell, and in agricultural areas that can no longer produce essential crops.
However, there is still room for improvement. Indeed the bank indicated that people displacements could be cut by 80% through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the involvement of migrants in development plans as well as investment to better understand the internal climate migration processes.