Severe climate impacts threaten the cornerstones of durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) by rendering areas of return and of local integration too dangerous to live in or too fragile to support large populations. The repatriation of refugees has    lined since 1990 from 15 million in 1990-1999, to 10 million from 2000-2009 and to only 3.9 million from 2010-2019. While protracted conflict situations and instability are major factors, climate impacts could already play a role in this trend. If climate impacts are not adequately considered in repatriation and local integration strategies, refugees and IDPs may be again put in harm’s way and at risk of further displacement. More climate research is needed to address these issues.

This factsheet outlines the key issues regarding the interactions of climate change and durable solutions, the climate  emergency and uninhabitability, and the urban pull and climate risks.