Climate Crisis: Tajikistan’s Struggle with Climate Migration

 

Tajikistan Faces Growing Threat of Climate Displacement

The Central Asian nation of Tajikistan is increasingly vulnerable to the effects of global warming, resulting in the gradual yet significant displacement of its people from climate-related disasters. Government authorities recognize this troubling trend and are working to address the needs of those most at risk.

Over 1,000 areas across the mountainous country have been designated as high-danger zones requiring evacuation. Last year alone, natural disasters claimed 51 lives and displaced many more. Tajikistan’s reliance on glacier-fed water sources leaves it acutely exposed as temperatures rise and glaciers rapidly melt.

Tajikistan is far from alone in confronting climate migration pressures predicted to displace millions worldwide by 2050. Experts forecast a 30% rise in malnutrition and as many as 216 million climate migrants globally by that year. The IOM reports weather events accounted for 98% of 32.6 million new internal displacements in 2022 alone.

One family directly impacted was that of 61-year-old Yodgoroy Makhmaliyeva after devastating mudslides destroyed their Khuroson home four years ago. Though now resettled, the trauma of displacement still lingers. While some projections of climate migration rates have proven lower than expected, the IOM predicts numbers of ‘environmental migrants’ could reach 25 million to 1 billion by 2050.

Tajikistan’s experience underscores the urgent need for global climate action and prioritized support for vulnerable populations facing increasingly harsh conditions. As displacement challenges mount worldwide, concerted efforts are imperative to protect those on the frontlines of climate change impacts.