The planet has in store a forbiddingly bleak future that will see a humanitarian crisis of a billion displaced people. Climate changes along with conflicts, large-scale development projects and widespread environmental deterioration will worsen an already serious migration crisis that people face.

Humans will be forced to forage for food and shelter after extreme droughts, crop failures, water shortages, coastal flooding, deteriorating pastureland, conflicts and famine dismembers their lives. Resource-based conflicts will deepen the world over as the migration crisis spirals out of control.

Christian Aid predicts that, on current trends, a further 1 billion people will be forced from their homes between now and 2050. Forced migrations are likely to have the direst consequences for poor people living in developing countries. While many climate refugees would cross national borders, becoming an international problem, many millions more would be unable to leave their countries and would remain largely invisible to outsiders

The world scenario at present

About 155 million people are known to be displaced now by conflict, natural disaster and development projects. The report mentions that 25 million displaced by conflict and human rights abuses, 25 million by natural disasters, such as earthquakes, and 105 million by large development projects, with 8.5 million now officially classed as refugees.

Major internal migration crises, caused by conflict, have already developed in Sudan, Uganda and Sri Lanka. Colombia is second only to Sudan for its number of Internally Displaced People. ‘Development displacement’ accounts for up to 105 million displaced people at any given time. People are being pushed aside to make way for dams, roads and other large-scale development

Can the changing climate be GOOD?

Some believe that rising temperatures might result in melting of much of Greenland, Canada and Siberia resulting in new lands for agriculture. In Russia, currently uninhabitable areas will become more hospitable; currently inaccessible energy resources will become more exploitable. Will world populations then start moving to the poles? Is this area capable of sustaining a world population of migrating people? Then, where will they move from there? To Mars?

As businesspersons pay scientists to prove that global warming does not exist, they carry out their selfish economic policies of development ignoring sustainable guidelines. Will their future food stocks come from laboratories growing food?

Will the world be able to cope with this climate-enforced movement of people? No, if it does not start making an effort right now! Genuine efforts need to be made to alleviate global poverty, that too by exploiting sustainable resources. Resources should be increased by planting more trees instead of clearing land to grow bio fuels. All policies should be aimed towards helping the farmers; after all it is their effort that gives us that much needed morsel of bread. The Earth is salvageable but correct action is required urgently at a governmental as well as personal level.

Image credit: [1], [2]