Knowledge Platform on People on the Move in a Changing Climate
This brief reflects the interventions, feedback and recommendations from the 19 November 2020 virtual regional exchange under the title Managing Risk and Addressing Disaster Displacement: Challenges, Effective Practices and Solutions in the Asia-Pacific.
The press commonly uses the concept of climate or environmental refugees to describe the situation of people who leave their homes as a consequence of the impacts of disasters and climate change. However, the 1951 Geneva Convention, which regulates the status of refugees, does not admit disasters as a reason for seeking asylum.
This report highlights why and how risk assessments need to become an integral part of urban planning, and presents an original tool that allows local authorities to assess disaster displacement risk in their urban area.