COP31: more than 200 million people are at risk of displacement due to climate change

On Atafona beach, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, the sea swallowed more than 500 houses.

More than 200 million people could be forced to leave the place where they live as a result of climate change, the director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope, told AFP during COP31, held in Antalya, Turkey.

Pope lamented that millions of dollars are allocated to border control instead of being invested in climate change adaptation measures.

"More than 200 million people live in communities that are extremely vulnerable to the effects of the climate and are at risk of being displaced. (...) If we do not act now, these movements will increase considerably," he warned.

In 2025, around 30 million people will have to leave their homes as a result of storms, droughts, forest fires, extreme heat waves or floods, according to IOM data.

Still, there is a lack of policies that address "the factors that fuel migration", while billions of dollars are spent to strengthen border security, said Pope, who is attending COP31 in Antalya.

"We are often asked to help governments when they are faced with irregular migration. We know how costly this can be and how many lives can be lost", he highlighted.

In the opinion of the IOM director, it would be more effective to invest in the stabilization of communities at risk. However, funding for prevention projects, which are generally inexpensive, remains insufficient.

"We are talking about adaptation measures whose cost is estimated at around 310 million dollars (R$1.7 billion). So far, only around 30 million dollars (R$168 million) in financing have been obtained. We are a long way from what would be necessary", he explained.

For Pope, climate migration and conflicts are closely related.

"It is crucial that governments do not divide these different challenges. Climate has an impact on conflicts. Conflicts have an impact on climate," he emphasized.

The IOM director also regretted the absence of several heads of state at COP31, despite governments' concern about migration associated with climate events.

"We encourage all States to engage, offer solutions and adopt a global approach. We would like to see them all at the table," he said.