Devastating floods led to more than 175 deaths and 423,000 people displaced in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul in May. It was the state’s worst natural catastrophe in almost a century, but Brazil is no stranger to mass population movements triggered by climate change.
Over the past two decades at least eight million Brazilians have fled or migrated due to storms, floods, forest fires, drought, and sea-level rise. In 2023 alone, around 745,000 people were displaced by extreme climate events combined with the effects of El Nina and El Nino. These events not only reveal the perils of a changing climate, but also a public that is unprepared for the coming storms.
Whether in Brazil or elsewhere, the decision to stay or leave is not only informed by increasingly intense and frequent climate shocks and stresses. In fact, persistent socio-economic risks such as food insecurity, poverty, inequality, and access to basic services also play a central role.
