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Children stand in front of tents in a camp for internally displaced people in Afghanistan

Climate change drives migration in conflict-ridden Afghanistan

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Given the climatic projections for Afghanistan - increased temperature, earlier snowmelt and lower precipitation at critical time - a higher number of people are likely to be displaced or forced to migrate over the years. Climate-induced migration usually does not get the attention it deserves, partly because conflict is seen as the main driver of displacement in Afghanistan. Even in the context of climate-induced migration, most of the attention is focused on displacement that results from rapid-onset natural disasters, such as floods. Less attention is paid to migration resulting from the long-term implications of a changing climate such as lower agricultural productivity. This would erode rural communities’ resilience, thus, increasing poverty and vulnerability.

Using participatory research with communities in Afghanistan, and combining it with policy analysis, this report captures a picture of internal migration and displacement in Afghanistan, due to climate change related factors.