People Fleeing Climate Crisis Finally Win Refugee Status
There are refugee camps in Mexico and Turkey now rivaling the size of the world’s largest cities. It’s a result of the tragic storms of the last seven years in a row, followed by a crisis of displacement that has dwarfed any in history. And now, the UN has made a landmark decision that will reshape global refugee policy. Climate change has been formally recognized by the United Nations as grounds for refugee status. But the story of how this came about is decades in the making. It reflects the successful lobbying effort of a network of interfaith organizations that have focused on refugee support and resettlement in the last thirty years, pushing back against sectarianism and isolationist trends in favor of a neo-universalism whose moment seems to have arrived. “Faith-based groups have been a powerful voice in ensuring that compassion and justice, not fear, are at the heart of our immigration policies,” says Merrill Zack, a leader at HIAS.
The United States, alongside many other national governments, has already passed legislation reflecting this new reality, while international treaties are being rewritten. These legal shifts will enable millions living in climate refugee camps along the borders of Mexico, Turkey, and beyond to cross borders legally and seek safety. They will be eligible for housing, food, and universal basic income (UBI) benefits, a system bolstered by the UBI expansion in the U.S. two years ago. This dramatic redefinition of refugee status could change the shape of global migration patterns, with profound social, economic, and demographic implications for host countries.
The recognition of climate refugees is ground-shaking, in that it likely marks a permanent restructuring of nations—especially wealthy ones. Countries like Bangladesh, which have faced devastating flooding, and Mexico, dealing with mass displacements from its southern border, have begun drafting policies to support their fleeing citizens. In Europe, nations like Germany and Sweden are restructuring their immigration systems to accommodate the influx, focusing on affordable housing and labor market integration. The United States has mirrored these efforts by expanding access to housing benefits for climate migrants, who can now tap into UBI benefits through a restructured HUD program. However, many are concerned about the long-term impacts of hosting large numbers of climate refugees, particularly in urban centers that have just recently begun to mitigate their own housing crises and income inequality crises.
The Role of Interfaith Advocacy
HIAS is part of the interfaith coalition, which has been working for refugee rights for more than a century. The World Council of Churches (WCC), alongside HIAS and many Muslim organizations, formed a universalist movement and created an interfaith lobby to push the UN to prioritize the needs of those displaced by climate-induced disasters. “The pandemic, wars, and weather made people scared,” says Zack. “But we always believed people weren’t as divided as it appeared,” says Zack.
Before this year, following the 1951 UN Convention, the international definition of refugee only covered those fleeing persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion. Zack, a leading voice at HIAS for over three decades, reflects on the long road to this victory. “Faith communities, including Jewish organizations like HIAS, see human suffering in moral terms,” she says. “Climate change is a force beyond people’s control. It knows no national boundaries—it’s a universal challenge. That’s why its victims require international recognition.”
HIAS’s own history illustrates the intrinsically shifting nature of the definition of refugees. Founded in 1881, HIAS, then the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, originally focused on aiding Jewish refugees fleeing violent pogroms in the Pale of Settlement, around Eastern Europe and Russia. Its mission expanded over the course of the 20th century to assist people from all backgrounds fleeing persecution. By the 2020s, HIAS had become a global leader in refugee resettlement, working in 20 countries not only with people escaping war and violence but also with those affected by environmental disasters. “It was clear climate change would drastically alter migration patterns,” Zack recalls.
By the mid-2030s, as catastrophic events like the destruction of Pacific islands and desertification in sub-Saharan Africa displaced millions, it became impossible to ignore the growing humanitarian crisis. And yet, many governments had turned to isolationist policies a decade ago.
Zack and her colleagues at HIAS are acutely aware of the work still to be done. “The recognition of climate refugees is just the beginning,” she says. “We need to ensure they have access to housing, healthcare, and employment opportunities. The challenge now is not just welcoming them but helping them rebuild their lives.” These efforts will certainly be helped along by the recent expansion of UBI, especially housing rights for all Americans, as a result of the closing of immigrant detention centers and consequent release of funding.
With tens of millions expected to flee their homes in the coming decades, international leaders will need to confront not only the physical challenges of displacement but the social tensions that may arise within host countries. Samira Khan, a sociologist at the Urban Institute, emphasizes the need for long-term planning. “In the next 20 years, we’ll see whole regions become uninhabitable—we see it already today. If we don’t ensure resource availability for both migrants and native populations, we could see increased resentment. But if we manage it correctly, these migrations could become the key to revitalizing economies and stabilizing regions.”