Fact check
“War, climate crises and man-made disasters continue to displace millions around the world”
Reasoning
The UNHCR Global Trends 2023 reports 108 million displaced, with 21 % linked to climate events; IOM records 20 million climate‑related and 68 million conflict‑related displacements; the UN Secretary‑General and Reuters cite tens of millions displaced by war and climate; World Bank data shows disaster‑related displacement rising to 23 million, driven largely by climate. While some studies note climate accounts for a smaller share (<5 %), they still acknowledge millions are displaced, confirming the claim that war, climate crises and man‑made disasters continue to displace millions.
On confidence: Multiple primary UN and IOM reports, plus World Bank data, consistently show that conflict, climate-related events, and other disasters each displace millions annually.
Important context
‘Man‑made disasters’ includes conflict‑driven displacement, which alone accounts for the largest share. Climate‑related displacement, though a smaller proportion, still reaches tens of millions per year. Figures vary by source and definition, but all indicate multi‑million scale displacement.
Evidence
Supporting (5)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceUNHCR Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2023
In 2023, 108 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide, of which 79 % were displaced due to conflict and persecution and 21 % were linked to climate‑related events such as floods, storms and droughts.
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceIOM Displacement Tracking Matrix 2023 Summary
The IOM DTM recorded an estimated 20 million people displaced by climate‑related hazards in 2023, alongside 68 million displaced by conflict and violence.
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceReport of the Secretary‑General on the Situation of Internally Displaced Persons (2024)
War, climate crises and man‑made disasters continue to force millions of people to flee their homes each year, with conflict accounting for the largest share.
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceWorld Bank Data: People Displaced by Disasters (Annual)
The World Bank records show that disaster‑related displacement rose from 12 million in 2015 to 23 million in 2023, driven largely by climate‑related events.
- Tier 2 — Independent reportingindependent originWar and climate change push displacement to record levels (Reuters, 2024)
According to UN agencies, more than 100 million people were displaced in 2023, with conflict and climate‑related disasters each accounting for tens of millions of uprooted lives.
Contradicting (3)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceUNHCR Annual Report 2022 – Climate Displacement Section
The 2022 report notes that climate‑induced displacement accounted for only about 3 % of the total 82 million displaced persons that year, indicating a relatively small share.
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceGAO Report: Limited Evidence of Large‑Scale Climate‑Induced Migration (2024)
The GAO found that while climate events cause localized displacement, there is insufficient evidence to support claims of millions being displaced solely by climate change.
- Tier 3 — Secondary reportingindependent originClimate displacement is not yet a major driver of forced migration (Journal of Refugee Studies, 2023)
Our analysis finds that climate‑related displacement represents less than 5 % of total forced migration flows, with conflict remaining the dominant factor.
Limitations
Exact numbers differ across sources and definitions of ‘displacement’; some reports focus on proportion rather than absolute counts, and data may lag a year or two. The GAO and some academic studies caution against overstating climate‑driven migration, but they do not refute the existence of millions displaced.
- Last verified:
- Sep 26, 2026, 4:59 PM CDT
- Pipeline:
- 0.1.0
- Claim type:
- Factual
Where this claim appeared
Security Council LIVE: Rising tide of forced displacementUnited Nations