Record-Breaking Internal Displacement in the US in 2024
Mass displacement of individuals from their native territories reaches unprecedented levels.
麻anie, here we're delving into the alarming figures of internal displacement within the United States and across the globe. Buckle up, and let's dive into this pressing issue!
In 2024, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) reported an appalling number of displaced individuals within their own countries—a record high never seen before. What's equally striking is that the U.S. found itself front and center in this statistically significant category.
Last year, the U.S. saw about 11 million displacements[1], with most of them being the result of natural calamities such as hurricanes "Helene" and "Milton." Identified as the country with the highest number of internal displacements due to natural disasters since the records began in 2008[1]. It's essential to note that these numbers also include evacuations taking place before the storms hit[1].
Worldwide, the IDMC reports that 83.4 million people were internally displaced at the end of 2024[1]. This figure has more than doubled since six years ago and is nearly 10 percent higher than the 2023 count[1]. 90% of these displacements were due to violence and conflicts in areas like the Democratic Republic of Congo, the occupied Palestinian territories, and Sudan[1].
Many displaced individuals find themselves in hazardous living conditions or are exposed to further displacement by other disasters. Consequently, both the number of annual displacements and the total population of displaced individuals at the end of the year are counted[1]. For example, in 2024, the IDMC recorded 3.2 million displacements in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel[1], with 2.03 million people still displaced at the end of the year[1].
Natural disasters accounted for more than two-thirds of all new displacements in the past year, setting a record high[1]. The IDMC's primary focus is on internally displaced individuals – those who have stayed within their own country[1]. Overall, don't forget that many more people are forced to leave their homes due to wars, conflicts, or disasters[1].
In mid-2024, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported a staggering 122.6 million displaced people worldwide[3]. These figures should serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for global solidarity in addressing this ever-growing issue[1]. The head of the Refugee Council, Jan Egeland, emphasized that cutting humanitarian aid puts another displaced person at risk of losing access to food, medical care, security, and hope[1]. The absence of progress in curbing global internal displacement is both a political failure and a moral stain on humanity[1].
Now that you're armed with this information, it's up to all of us to do our part in supporting and advocating for those affected by internal displacement. Let's work together to make a difference!
[1] https://www.idmc.ch/[2] https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/natural-disasters-force-83-4-million-people-flee-their-homes-2020-2022-09-16/[3] https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/protection/internal-displacement/5d5c85cd7.html[4] https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/climate-change-health-and-environmental-disasters-faqs-call-out
Attention! This article contains information about war, violence, poverty, and natural disasters. Please remember to take care of your emotional well-being when reading about these sensitive topics.
- The Community Policy needs to address the significant rise in internal displacements within the United States and worldwide, as reported by the IDMC in 2024.
- The Employment Policy should consider the plight of internally displaced individuals, given the high number of new displacements due to natural disasters and conflicts, as revealed in the science of environmental-science and general-news.
- In light of the record-breaking internal displacements caused by climate-change and war-and-conflicts, the Environmental-Science department and Political Science should work together to develop comprehensive strategies to mitigate and prevent further displacements.
- Social services and relief organizations should prioritize assistance to those affected by internal displacement, including migration due to natural disasters and political conflicts, as demonstrated by the crime-and-justice statistics and UNHCR reports.
