Climate Change Forces Millions of Children to Become Refugees

In the next 30 years, it is feared that 113 million children will be forced to flee due to disasters triggered by climate change.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Perubahan Iklim Paksa Jutaan Anak Jadi Pengungsi

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Cloudy skies surround the Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday (10/10/2023). On Sunday (8/10/2023) night, flights to and from the airport were temporarily suspended due to Typhoon Koinu hitting Hong Kong. The typhoon triggered floods and caused Hong Kong authorities to suspend classes in many schools.

Every day from 2016-2021, an average of 20,000 children were forced to evacuate due to disasters. They were affected by floods and storms that increasingly hit various countries. Many also had to evacuate due to droughts and forest and land fires, which are becoming more frequent.

Overall, in the next three decades, 1.2 billion people will be forced to become refugees due to disaster impacts. Indonesia, along with several other countries, is among the most vulnerable to climate change-induced disasters. The Earth is boiling, and humans and other creatures inhabiting this planet are increasingly suffering.

According to Unicef, 43 million children have been forced to evacuate due to natural disasters between 2016 and 2021, primarily due to floods and storms.

The Hong Kong authorities have decided to close almost all schools on Monday morning (9/10/2023). The decision was made due to Typhoon Koinu bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and flooding in the autonomous region of China. Typhoon Koinu hit one month after Hong Kong was struck by Typhoon Haikui.

Also read Typhoon Khanun Turns Back to Japan, China and Taiwan on Alert

Before Haikui and Koinu, Hong Kong was also hit by other storms. Disasters are increasingly hitting Hong Kong and various other regions on Earth.

When disasters occur, children become victims as well. When typhoon Koinu hit, children in Hong Kong didn't have to evacuate. This differs from 73 percent of children in Dominika and 31 percent of children in Cuba who had to evacuate due to storms from 2016-2021.

The portion of child refugees caused by disasters was revealed in a report by the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) on October 6, 2023. According to Unicef, 43 million children had to be displaced due to disasters in the period of 2016-2021, with the majority being caused by floods and storms. In addition, there were also cases of land fires and severe drought.

AP PHOTO/THEIN ZAW

Efforts to evacuate flood victims in Bago, Myanmar on Tuesday (10/10/2023). At least 10,000 people were forced to flee due to the floods triggered by heavy rain.

Becoming a refugee due to floods is one of the experiences faced by Khalid Abdul Azim, a student of Wad Al-Shafie Junior High School in Sudan. For months, he became a refugee due to flooding in his village. "We can only use boats if we want to see our village. Many houses were destroyed, including ours," he said.

Aside from him, a total of 140,000 students were affected by the flood that happened a few months ago. Despite the water receding, the impact still persists. The new academic year has been delayed, from June to October 2023. "I'm glad I can go back to school, even though there are a lot of missed lessons," he said.

In the report, 11 percent of children in Somalia and 12 percent of children in South Sudan were forced to flee due to floods. Some had already fled before the disaster struck, while others fled when their villages began to flood.

Severe drought

Somalia is not only hit by floods. Some parts of the country have long been plagued by drought. As a result, the hometown of Shukri Mohamed Ibrahim (10) has turned from farmland and plantations into a barren land.

Also read Japan's holiday season is chaotic due to Typhoon Lan

Together with his family, Ibrahim fled to Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, five months ago. In Mogadishu, he attended school for the first time.

In the capital city, life for Ibrahim and his family is no better. The shelter provided for refugees does not offer adequate living conditions and sanitation. Food is also scarce.

According to Unicef, he is one of the 1.3 million children who have been forced to flee due to drought. These children are spread across 15 countries, with Somalia, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan having the highest numbers. Ibrahim is one of the 730,000 Somali children who have had to flee due to severe drought that has struck his hometown.

Ibrahim and Azim are among the millions of children who are forced to flee their homes due to climate change-induced disasters. Disasters in the Caribbean have forced the majority of children in some countries to become refugees. Up to 73 percent of children in Dominica and 31 percent of children in Cuba have had to flee due to hurricanes between 2016-2021.

AFP PHOTO / INDIA

In the photo published on October 5, 2023, Indian soldiers were searching for victims of flash floods in Sikkim. The floods were triggered by the rapid melting of ice layers in the mountains. Ice melts quickly due to the Earth's rising surface temperature.

If counting the total number, then India, China, and the Philippines become the locations with the most child refugees. A total of 23 million children became refugees due to disasters in those three countries during 2016-2021. With a large population, these countries have good evacuation systems, making it easier for them to record data.

Meanwhile, according to various other studies, Indonesia is considered a vulnerable country due to its geographic conditions. Coastal residents are at risk of losing their homes and jobs due to rising sea levels. Meanwhile, residents far from the coast are threatened by floods and land fires.

Floods, according to Unicef, are the main cause of millions of children being displaced. Meanwhile, land fires force children in Asia, Australia, Europe, and America to become refugees. In the European Union and the United States, land fires occur repeatedly. As a result, children, along with their parents, are forcibly displaced.

More and more

Unicef is concerned that the number of child refugees will continue to increase. Over the next 30 years, it is feared that 113 million children will be forced to flee due to climate change-induced disasters.

Also read Cyclone Mocha Hits Myanmar-Bangladesh, 400,000 Residents Evacuated

This year alone, climate change triggered heavy rain in the Sikkim region of India on Thursday (5/10/2023). The combination of heavy rainfall and the overflowing of the Lhonak glacial lake in the Himalayan mountains caused flash floods to occur. Initial data indicates hundreds of people missing and dozens dead.

Then in July 2023, high rainfall in South India caused the Yamuna River to overflow. Streets in the city of New Delhi were flooded and tens of thousands of people were evacuated.

Furthermore, in a report on May 18 2023, The Hindu Time quoted the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC), a non-profit organization based in Geneva. Natural disasters, mainly flash floods and cyclones, forced 2.5 million people to flee throughout 2022 across India. In total, in the South Asia region, namely in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, 12.5 million people will be displaced in 2022.

Does not differentiate

UNICEF's migrant specialist, Laura Healy, says that the frequent tracking data of climate-induced refugees does not differentiate between children and adults. However, of all the increasingly intense natural disasters caused by climate change, children are the most vulnerable due to their displacement.

AFP/ABDULLAH DOMA

Cars swept away by flash floods in Derna, Libya in September 2023. At least 4,000 people were killed and thousands more were injured as a result of the disaster.

Many of these children experience overlapping crises caused by extreme climates and exacerbated by conflicts, weak institutions, and poverty. Even leaving their homes to seek refuge poses extra risks for these children. "In fact, more and more children will be affected in the future as the impact of climate change becomes more intense," explains Healy.

As experienced media agency translator, I will provide an English translation of the article while keeping in mind that certain highlighted words should not be translated. Here's the translation: Just like Garima Kumar who experienced it, the shack of the 10-year-old young girl's family located on the outskirts of New Delhi was swept away by the flood from the Yamuna River last July. The flood washed away the house and everything inside, including Kumar's school uniform and textbooks. She couldn't go to school for a month.

"My classmates teased me because my house was washed away during the flood, as I don't have a permanent home," said Kumar.

Also read Climate Change Exacerbates Disasters and Disease Outbreaks

Unicef, according to Healy, is working together with IDMC to map out which areas are most affected by the impact on children. This is because the increasing severity of disasters shows that the world has not yet taken into account climate refugees and found ways to protect them.

In the future, according to a Unicef report, Vietnam along with India and Bangladesh will become countries with many children who are forced to flee their homes. To better prepare for disasters, Unicef calls on policymakers and the private sector to ensure that energy and climate planning also takes into account the risks to children from extreme weather events. (AP/REUTERS)