Stranded populace requires assistance to escape climatic threats

The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) has led a new study focusing on "trapped populations" who are unable to leave due to various reasons and are exposed to climate-induced threats. These populations, as stated by the study's lead author, Lisa Thalheimer, face different threats due to cultural and legal barriers, limited access to humanitarian assistance, conflict, and poverty.

The study, published in Nature Communications, argues for tailored policies to protect these populations from climate risks in their current location or enable them to migrate if desired. One of the key recommendations is the establishment of a global mechanism to support these communities and ensure their inclusion in data collection processes.

Colin Raymond, a research scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, US, specializing in severe weather, emphasizes that mobility is a privilege not available to all. He suggests that funding should be dedicated to mitigating risks for the most exposed areas, and these decisions should be made in a forward-looking way, based on a combination of model projections, local observations, and expert judgments.

Andrew Reid Bell, professor of sustainability in the global development department at Cornell University, believes being able to distinguish between voluntary and involuntary mobility or immobility is important for planning interventions to support vulnerable populations. However, he admits that it's challenging to disentangle the factors that displace someone from choices they've made when defining environmental or climate refugees.

The researchers also recommend conducting a systematic review of affected communities and their ability to adapt, relocate, and mitigate climate impacts, identifying the key drivers of involuntary immobility. Current climate mobility research largely focuses on mobile populations, excluding those unable or unwilling to move.

The study underscores the need for a more systematic approach to understanding and addressing the challenges faced by trapped populations due to climate risks. It highlights case studies reflecting the political and legal barriers to migration faced by vulnerable populations, such as the Rohingya refugee population in Bangladesh.

Ignoring these populations leaves them at heightened risk of climate-related disasters, while integrating their needs into planning can transform resilience strategies, according to the researchers. Thalheimer emphasized the need to consider the people who want to move but can't, including those trapped by poverty, legal barriers, or social constraints, living in flood-prone neighborhoods, refugee camps, conflict zones, or urban heat islands.

The search results do not provide information about the organization leading the study on "trapped populations" to protect those affected by climate risks or enable their migration. However, the study's findings underscore the urgent need for action to protect and support these vulnerable populations.