The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued the warning ahead of COP31, which opens next week in Antalya, Türkiye.
Three in four refugees live in countries facing high to severe climate hazards.
“Refugees face a double injustice,” UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations Antón Leis García said.
“Forced to flee conflicts they did not cause, they are now on the frontlines of a climate crisis they have contributed least to.”
Fragile and conflict-affected countries hosting large refugee populations receive only about 10% of global climate funding.
“For millions, climate change is not a distant threat,” Leis García said. “It is destroying shelters, undermining livelihoods and putting their hopes of rebuilding their lives at risk.”
By 2050, one in three refugee settlements across sub-Saharan Africa could experience at least 100 days of dangerous heat annually.
Severe flooding linked to El Niño is expected to displace another 3 million people across Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda by the end of 2026.
Climate hazards are also making sustainable returns more difficult. More than two-thirds of refugees who returned home during the first half of 2026 went to countries highly vulnerable to climate shocks.
In Syria, nearly 4 million returnees face declining groundwater and extreme weather after more than a decade of conflict. Flooding along the Euphrates River displaced thousands again in May.
Nearly 90% of stateless people also live in countries highly exposed to climate hazards. Many struggle to access disaster assistance because of the absence of legal recognition.
Refugees and host communities are responding through solar-powered water systems in the Sahel, climate-resilient farming in Uganda and mangrove and land restoration in Colombia. “Refugees are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, but they are also part of the solution,” Leis García said.
“COP31 must be a turning point, recognising their leadership and translating bold commitments into concrete investments that reach those most at risk.”
The UNHCR called for climate finance to reach displaced communities directly and support adaptation, services and sustainable livelihoods.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
