The Asian Age

‘ Warming climate will displace millions soon’

Drought, crop failure will increase in next 3 decades: World Bank ◗

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Washington, March 19: The wave of refugees fleeing crop failures, droughts and rising sea levels will grow drasticall­y over the next three decades if world government­s do not intervene, the World Bank warned on Monday.

By 2050, 143 million “climate migrants” will face an “existentia­l threat” and be displaced, the World Bank said in a new report. That includes 86 million in Sub- Saharan Africa, 40 million in South Asia and 17 million in Latin America.

These regions are home to more than half the developing world's population, and 2.8 percent of inhabitant­s are among

By 2050, 143 million ‘ climate migrants’ will face an ‘ existentia­l threat’ and be displaced, the World Bank said in a new report. Report is the first to question problem of migration

those at risk, according to the report, which the bank said was the first to address the question of migration spurred by climate change.

Climate change has inexorably become an “engine of migration,” forcing individual­s, families and even whole communitie­s to seek more viable homes, World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva said.

“Every day, climate change becomes a more urgent economic, social and existentia­l threat to countries and their people,” she said in a statement.

But, she said, “The number of climate migrants could be reduced by tens of millions as a result of global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and with far- sighted developmen­t planning.”

The report said Ethiopia’s population could almost double by 2050 and migration will rise due to diminishin­g harvests.

In Bangladesh, climate migrants could be the singlelarg­est group among all internally displaced persons.

And in Mexico, people increasing­ly will gravitate towards urban areas away from more vulnerable regions.

◗ That includes 86 million in SubSaharan Africa, 40 million in South Asia and 17 million in Latin America. These regions are home to half the developing world population

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