By Joke Kujenya
FOR MILLIONS of people forced from their homes by conflict, finding safety has not ended their struggle, as worsening droughts, floods and extreme heat expose them to further hardship across host countries.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has raised concerns over the growing exposure of displaced populations to climate disasters, revealing that close to 90 million people have sought refuge in countries facing increasing threats from extreme heat, drought and flooding.
The agency, in a report released ahead of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, highlights the growing intersection of conflict, forced displacement and climate change.
UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, Anton Leis Garcia, described climate adaptation in displacement-affected communities as a matter of survival and urged governments to direct more climate funding towards areas facing the greatest needs.
She said the report illustrated the crisis through the experience of a Sudanese refugee who fled fighting in Al-Fashir in June 2023 and sought shelter at the Farchana refugee settlement in eastern Chad.
The refugee described going for as long as a week without finding safe drinking water, forcing her to walk increasingly long distances in search of alternative sources as rising temperatures dry up nearby seasonal riverbeds.
UNHCR also warned that worsening climate conditions threaten the ability of displaced people to rebuild their lives after returning home.
More than two-thirds of refugee returns recorded in the first half of 2026 involved countries highly exposed to climate hazards, leaving returnees vulnerable to renewed displacement.
Syria presents one example of the growing challenge. Nearly four million displaced people have recently returned, but worsening water shortages and unpredictable rainfall continue to affect communities.
Also, flooding along the Euphrates River in May terribly damaged homes and displaced thousands.
The agency further warned that rising temperatures could expose refugee settlements across sub-Saharan Africa to prolonged periods of dangerous heat.
By 2050, one in three refugee settlements in the region could experience at least 100 days of dangerous heat annually, threatening residents’ health and livelihoods, UNHCR cautioned.
Some settlements in Ethiopia, including Helaweyn, could face more than 200 days of dangerous heat each year, increasing the risks of heatstroke and premature death.
It further noted that refugees often lack adequate access to cooling facilities, safe water and reliable energy, leaving them with fewer ways to protect themselves against extreme temperatures.
The agency also cautioned that a forecast supersized El Niño could intensify climate-related threats across several countries hosting displaced populations and trigger further population movements.
In East Africa, severe flooding could displace up to three million people across Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda before the end of 2026.
The Sahel also faces the combined threats of drought, flooding and conflict, which could intensify competition over limited resources. Parts of Asia, meanwhile, face increased exposure to droughts, floods and cyclones.
Against this backdrop, UNHCR called on governments and climate-finance institutions attending COP31 to increase support for adaptation programmes in vulnerable communities.
The agency said only about 10 per cent of global climate finance reaches fragile or conflict-affected countries, despite the significant risks confronting their populations.
It said its warning comes as a separate United Nations (UN) report published on Wednesday which found that wealthy countries were falling substantially short of the $305 billion required annually to help developing nations adapt to climate change.
This funding shortfall comes as extreme weather events continue to grow more frequent and severe, adding pressure on countries already struggling to protect vulnerable populations, UNHCR further raises its concerns.
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