Disasters Trigger More Displacements Than Conflicts, Says New ADB-IDMC Report

Global disasters accounted for more displacements in 2023 than conflict and violence, and governments and multilateral development banks must invest more to prevent and manage these crises, according to a new report jointly authored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).

The report found that last year, 26.4 million internal displacements — or forced movements within one’s country — were caused by disasters, compared to 20.5 million caused by conflict and violence.

The report, Harnessing Development Financing for Solutions to Displacement in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific, found most of the disaster displacement recorded globally in the past 10 years occurred in Asia and the Pacific, with 177 million internal displacements reported during 2014−2023. ADB’s developing member countries (DMCs) accounted for 95 per cent of that total — more than 168 million displacements. The report warns that the effects of climate change will likely increase the scale, duration, and severity of displaced persons globally.

Disaster Displacement Can Upend Lives

“Addressing displacement in the context of climate change and disasters is a significant challenge for the region,” said ADB Vice-President Fatima Yasmin. “However, we know what needs to be done and how to do it. Development and adaptation finance channelled through multilateral development banks, such as ADB, can support member countries in addressing the root causes of displacement through sector investments, technical assistance, and co-financing.”

“Disaster displacement can upend lives, cost countries billions of dollars, and set back development efforts by years, but it doesn’t have to be this way,” said IDMC Director Alexandra Bilak. “Investments in disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation plans can reduce the scale and negative impacts of displacement. The payoff could be huge.”

The report outlines several ways development finance can be used to prevent and respond to displacement. Multilateral development banks can support and encourage displacement-inclusive policies and investments, better national data systems, and raise awareness for countries to include displacement in their development strategies.

The report says governments also need to better reflect their priorities to reduce displacement through specific and concrete measures in the national development plans, adaptation and disaster risk reduction plans, and nationally determined contributions, and to better recognize the complexity of displacement occurring in the context of climate change.

                                                                                                                                      (Courtesy: owsa.in)