The accelerating impacts of climate change including rising seas, extreme drought, and land degradation are driving human displacement at an unprecedented rate. In the past decade, weather-related disasters have forced the equivalent of 60,000 people from their homes every day. By 2050, climate change is projected to displace approximately 143 million people across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.
To counter this humanitarian crisis, nature-based solutions (restoring and managing ecosystems) are offering cost-effective ways to enhance adaptation and allow vulnerable communities to remain on their land.
1. Coastal Resilience Through Mangrove Restoration
In areas facing sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion, mangroves act as a natural defense, stabilizing shorelines and protecting communities.
In the Indus Delta of South Pakistan, where rising seas have already submerged an estimated 4.2 million acres of land and displaced over 1.2 million people mangrove restoration acts as a ‘green sea wall’. Community-led projects in areas like Keti Bunder have replanted thousands of hectares of mangroves. This restoration buffers storm surges, reduces coastal erosion, and sustains livelihoods by providing fish nurseries and fuelwood. By preserving both homes and incomes, mangroves directly reduce the pressures that drive families to migrate inland.
2. Forest Buffer Corridors in Latin America
Mountain communities in the Andes and Amazon are increasingly vulnerable to landslides, floods, and river erosion, which are exacerbated by deforestation. Restoring forest corridors stabilizes slopes and regulates water flow, reducing disaster intensity.
Initiatives like Acción Andina, which spans five Andean nations (including Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru), engage communities to re-plant slopes and protect existing woodlands. Since 2018, this multi-country effort has engaged over 40,000 people to restore nearly 5,000 hectares of Andean forest. By creating these ‘green buffers,’ nature-based solutions help to stem the rising tide of displacement caused by extreme weather events.
3. Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) in Africa
In drought-stricken regions like the Sahel, recurrent crop failures and desertification have historically forced mass migration. The effective solution here is Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), a community-led technique that restores degraded land from existing tree root systems.
Instead of costly formal tree planting, farmers allow shoots to regrow, selectively pruning and protecting them to quickly restore tree cover. The benefits are dramatic: FMNR improves soil fertility, increases water retention, and boosts crop yields. In Niger alone, more than 5 million hectares of land have been restored using this method, improving food security for millions and stabilizing the harvests and incomes needed for families to stay rooted in their villages.