For many refugees and other populations trapped by poverty and conflict, migration is not an option. So how can they be helped? 1 April 2025 3 min read by SciDev.Net Rohingya refugees relocating because of flooding and landslides in the Balukhali refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh in 2019. A new study indicates that in some situations, vulnerable populations are simply unable to leave, even if they want to. Credit: UN Women/Allison Joyce Climate change and extreme weather events can act as drivers of migration . But in some situations, vulnerable populations are simply unable to leave, even if they want to. In a new study led by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), the authors argue that these “trapped populations” need tailored policies to protect them from climate risks in their current location, or enable them to migrate if desired. – Lisa Thalheimer, Research scholar, IIASA Lisa Thalheimer, a research scholar in the IIASA and lead author, said: “Involuntarily immobile populations are large and varied in their exposure to different threats. “Cultural and legal barriers, limited access to humanitarian assistance … conflict and poverty, make the livelihoods of such populations particularly vulnerable to climate-induced threats such as droughts, heatwaves or sea-level rises.” The researchers say that current climate mobility research is largely focused on mobile populations, excluding those unable or unwilling to move. “What about the people who want to move but can’t?” said Thalheimer. “These are individuals trapped by poverty, legal barriers or social constraints, living in flood-prone neighbourhoods, refugee camps, conflict zones, or even within urban heat islands.” For these people, “leaving isn’t an option, and staying is increasingly dangerous”. Ignoring these populations leaves them at heightened risk of climate-related disasters , while integrating their needs into planning can transform resilience strategies, according to […]