PRESS STATEMENT
World Refugee Day 2013
Theme: Take 1 minute to support a
family forced to flee from Climate Refugees
DATE:
20th
June, 2013
As
we observe World Refugees Day let us pick up in pieces and critically address
the issues of Climate Refugees.
A climate refugee is a person displaced by
climatically induced environmental disasters. Such disasters result from
incremental and rapid ecological change, resulting in increased droughts,
desertification, sea level rise, and the more frequent occurrence of extreme
weather events such as hurricanes, cyclones, fires, mass flooding and
tornadoes. All this is causing mass global migration and border conflicts. Climate change has become National security
risk and a global treat with grave consequences to us
Rainfall
patterns in the past decade has cost a lot of food security and in account of
these people always move to where they will secure water.
Relating
to the effect of severe droughts through Climate Change our young people from
the North moved to the south to earn a living. Negative shifts in weather has a
direct catalyst for violent and conflict
They
did not choose such a life. Their dream is to return to their homes and be able
to live and work in peace and security. Unfortunately, with the continuous
escalation of conflicts, and the increase of natural disasters due to climate
change, their dreams may prove difficult to fulfill.
By
the end of 2012, more than 45.1 million people were in situations of
displacement compared to 42.5 million at the end of 2011. This includes 15.4
million refugees, 937,000 asylum seekers, and 28.8 million people forced to
flee within the borders of their own countries, according to UNHCR
With
people displaced inside their own countries, the figure of 28.8 million for
2012 is the highest level in more than two decades. This includes 17.7 million
who are being helped by the UN refugee agency. UNHCR assistance to IDPs is not
automatic but occurs at the request of governments. Significant new internal
displacement was seen in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria.
I
am convinced that climate change will increasingly be a driver in worsening
displacement crises in the world
We
must work together to mobilize the political will and leadership to prevent and
end the conflicts that trigger refugee flows and Climate Refugees
Kenneth
Nana Amoateng
Chief
Executive Officer
Abibiman
Foundation
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