With environmental issues getting worse over the years, the issue of climate change-induced migration is on the rise. Global climate change causes individuals to be forced out of their homes by factors such as increased sea levels, extreme weather conditions, and competition over resources among others. The number of climate migrants, therefore, is increasing. Currently, governments and international organizations are left with key challenges of how to manage climate-induced migration since this has qualitatively shifted from a humanitarian problem to one of political and economic concern.

Climate change was traditionally defined and perceived as an environmental phantasmagoria, which is rarely prioritized compared to more pressing socio-political problems. Yet, the current scholarly research shows that not only the rate and severity of further climate-related disasters are rising, but these phenomena are also provoking the dramatic demographic shifts.

Climate refugees, like traditional refugees who target to escape violent events, are also people without legal status and rights.

Tens of millions of people are displaced from their homes to other areas that are less dangerous, within the same country or across the border. This has been seen during the flood ravaging Pakistan or the persistent droughts in East Africa where people were forced to flee their homes and appeals for assistance hit the roof.

Following these difficulties, the phenomenon of the so-called climate refugees has come to the forefront to identify people with specific necessities as a consequence of climate change. Climate refugees, like traditional refugees who target to escape violent events, are also people without legal status and rights. Persons with disability are for the most part neglected, with international law still to embrace their plight and accord them a proper place to find support. This is a glaring loophole that must be filled as soon as possible since climate induced displacement is on the rise.

This concern does not limit itself to the territory of the states experiencing the change of climates but is seen as an issue of international concern. Host nations are usually not prepared to hosting climate migrants, increasing pressure on local facilities and infrastructure. This can raise conflicts between communities and also widens the existing gap between them. For instance, competition for job opportunities, affordable houses, and other services triggered by climate migrants in already strained economic regions may help foster attempts at social conflict. This suggests that much needs to be done both at the national and international level in designing sound strategies for assisting climate migrants and host communities.

Perhaps seeing the connection between climate change and migration, the international legal systems are slowly adapting. The UN has come out very forceful on how migration considerations should form part and parcel of climate action plans. For instance, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration has AU, NATO, EU and other State parties that have pledged on tackling displacement due to climate change effects. However, the major difficulty is to translate these commitments into practical policies. Governments should join hands in developing policies that can guarantee the rights of climate change affected persons as well as get to the base of many environmental issues.

In this regard, one has to stress at socialization as the effective means to raise awareness of climate migration. Non-governmental organizations working in collaboration with local communities and governments need to come up with strategies that will help create awareness on effects or impacts of climate migrants. They can reduce the level of xenophobia and increase the level of empathy pointing that the newcomers are not a burden to the societies.

Governments ought to promote activities that will enable communities to become more climate proof so as to reduce the risk of future displacement.

Furthermore, only coordinated efforts can be dew to build causes for climate change that triggers migration. Policies that support climate smart infrastructure, climate smart agriculture and disaster risk reduction contribute immensely towards the reduction of the capacity of environmental processes to displace a certain percentage of the population. Governments ought to promote activities that will enable communities to become more climate proof so as to reduce the risk of future displacement.

Therefore, when addressing the future of climate migrants, it becomes important for the global society to respond to the challenge with urgency and responsibility. Adverse effects of climate change have led to emergence of climate migrants, a problem that calls for regional solution. Exploring the relationship of climate change and migration, stakeholders in the government, civil societies, and global organization can have a synergistic approach that will provide solutions that address the future hazards and protection of threatened groups of people and recognition of climate change refugees.

Many of the decisions that are ahead may not be comfortable, but they are necessary. In essence, climate migration is not an ancillary of climate change; it is a humanified problem that needs a humanized response. Thus, focusing on the climate migrants, the global society will be able to turn into the better and fairer world which has more ability to be effective and sustainable in presence of climate challenges than now. This is more mores so in the current global context, which is why action must be taken, knowing that the battles against climate change and on behalf of displaced populations go hand in hand.