Climate Change as a Driver of Humanitarian Crises and Response

This paper explores the relationships between climate change, humanitarian crises and humanitarian response through a review of published and grey literature. We examine the historical evidence for associations between climate change and humanitarian crises, and move on to a brief review of present humanitarian crises directly attributable to disasters triggered by climatological events. Finally, we look at three interrelated aspects of future trends: changing weather patterns, increasing societal vulnerabilities, and shifting demographics. We conclude with some thoughts on the policy and practical implications for the aid community, academia, and donor and crisis-affected states, emphasizing the need to shift from a mindset in which crisis response is exceptional and interventionist to one in which managing crises is seen as the norm, part of sovereignty and internalized within more formal international and national arrangements.