The Global Estimates Report released in July 2015 by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) offers evidence that 19.3 million people were displaced in 2014 by natural disasters worldwide. Of that 19.3 million, 17.5 million people were displaced by disasters related to weather hazards, primarily typhoons and floods. The remaining 1.7 million people were displaced by disasters related to geophysical hazards, mainly
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Approximately 700 events were recorded during the year, 33 of which caused the displacement of over 100,000 people. In 2014, the likelihood of being displaced by a disaster was 60% higher than it was merely four decades ago. Displacement levels between 2008-2014 have been highest in the middleincome countries of Asia and the Pacific. The relationship between human mobility, climate change and the environment has seen increasing relevance in the international policy sphere in 2014.
“Climate induced migration, displacement and unplanned relocation” have been previously recognized in the Decision on Adaptation4 adopted in Cancun in 2010 and the Decision on Loss and Damage5 adopted in Doha in 2012. In 2014, policies have continued to build on these agreements and increased attention has been paid to the issue, as witnessed across policy sectors and political levels.