The climate and environmental crises are a new reality for displaced people.
Over 40 per cent of the global population lives in areas that are highly vulnerable to climate change.
Displaced people and host communities in fragile and conflict-affected countries are among the population groups that have least contributed to climate change. Yet, they are the most exposed to its consequences.
While we can’t stop many of the compounding crises we have ahead of us, NRC is working towards changing the impact of these crises on displacement-affected communities, primarily in displacement contexts affected by armed conflict and violence. We prioritise communities that are hard to reach, through climate adaptation, environmental risks mitigation, and decarbonisation of our programmes and operations, by shifting the way we work and deliver our response.
NRC’s work on climate change and displacement
As climate change continues, it will likely lead to more frequent and severe natural hazards. These are context- and time-specific and are faced by both displaced people and their host communities.
NRC is already present in most countries endangered by the climate crisis as those are also affected by conflict.
NRC Country Offices situations in 2024 – conflicts and climate vulnerability:
Over 40 per cent of the global population lives in areas that are highly vulnerable to climate change.
Displaced people and host communities in fragile and conflict-affected countries are among the population groups that have least contributed to climate change. Yet, they are the most exposed to its consequences.
While we can’t stop many of the compounding crises we have ahead of us, NRC is working towards changing the impact of these crises on displacement-affected communities, primarily in displacement contexts affected by armed conflict and violence. We prioritise communities that are hard to reach, through climate adaptation, environmental risks mitigation, and decarbonisation of our programmes and operations, by shifting the way we work and deliver our response.
NRC’s work on climate change and displacement
As climate change continues, it will likely lead to more frequent and severe natural hazards. These are context- and time-specific and are faced by both displaced people and their host communities.
NRC is already present in most countries endangered by the climate crisis as those are also affected by conflict.
NRC Country Offices situations in 2024 – conflicts and climate vulnerability:
We see our added value in being able to articulate how climate change challenges displaced-affected people and host communities more severely and brings additional risks to their lives, which in turn hinders the achievement of a durable solution.
We advocate in the nexus between climate and forced displacement for a systematic inclusion of fragile states and displacement contexts in climate financing. We also advocate for losses and damages for displaced people based on our expertise from the ground and evidence from our programmes.
NRC is committed to reducing its own carbon footprint in its operations. We aim to adapt our programmatic response and propose solutions that support mitigating the effects of climate stresses and shocks.
Climate change is our generation’s greatest challenge.Jan Egeland, NRC Secretary General
Our priorities
NRC prioritises the rights and protection of displaced people in the context of climate change. We enable people affected by displacement to anticipate, absorb and adapt to climate shocks and hazards, by:
- strengthening our capacities for climate adaptation in areas where the combined risks of conflict, displacement and climate crises overlap
- decarbonising our operations and programmes based on our Carbon Footprint Report and reduction target, including facilitating access to clean energy for displaced populations
- becoming a global voice for displaced people impacted by climate change
- expanding and sharing our knowledge through research and analysis
- using programme-based advocacy to achieve long-term policy solutions
Read more about how NRC cares for the environment.
How do we advocate
NRC is a member of the following major climate-related interagency platforms:
- IASC Sub-Group on Climate Change
- Environment and Humanitarian Action (EHA) network
- UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit (JEU)
- UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) formal focal point for Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP) and related processes
- Climate and Environment Charter for humanitarian organisations
- Climate working groups across major networks such as InterAction, VOICE, ICVA, etc.
NRC shares our successes and lessons learned with the broader humanitarian and climate change community, and stands up for those affected by climate impacts. We advocate for protection and assistance to become central components of climate change adaptation and planning. We work to influence global and regional policies so that they reflect these concerns.
Data and research
Our Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) is a global leader on figures related to disasters, natural hazards, climate change and internal displacement. Through its statistical calculations and patterns, IDMC can predict the numbers of people at risk of disaster displacement in years to come.
Our strong data collections enable us to collaborate with governments and organisations to develop strategies that help communities at risk.
Learn more about IDMC's research and visit the Platform for Disaster Displacement.
Deploying our experts
NORCAP, our stand-by capacity roster, deploys experts to the UN, regional institutions and national authorities. A number of these experts specialise in climate change adaptation, meteorology and hydrology, as well as reducing and managing disaster risk.
- NORCAP focuses on increasing people’s access to weather and climate information and better enabling vulnerable communities to adapt to climate change across Africa.
- NORCAP collaborates with a wide range of national and international partners. From the local to the global level, NORCAP aims to increase the capacity of institutions to deal with natural hazards and send out early warnings to communities.
- NORCAP supports vulnerable communities to make sure they have access to useful and relevant climate information.
Read more about our expert deployments.
Our climate change partners
- Advisory Group on Climate Change and Human Mobility
- Arab Network for Environment and Development (RAED)
- International Organization for Migration
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
- Refugees International
- United Nations University
- World Meteorological Organisation
Collaborating with our partners allows us to better serve those displaced affected by climate change.
We also partner with a number of UN agencies through our NORCAP deployments, including the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), UNDP, UNICEF, UNESCO, FAO, WFP AND UNHCR.
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