The number of people displaced within their own countries by natural disasters and extreme weather events rose sharply last year, according to a study commissioned by Greenpeace and conducted by the University of Hamburg.
The study found that 13.6 million people were internally displaced by natural disasters and extreme weather in 2025, up from 9.9 million the previous year.
The figures are based on data from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), a leading organization tracking displacement worldwide. Internally displaced people are those forced to flee their homes but who remain within their country's borders.
According to the study released on Friday, climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of weather-related extreme events, with people in the Global South particularly affected.
The report also found that war and violence have reached their highest levels since the end of World War II.
At the same time, the global budget for development cooperation and humanitarian assistance in 2025 was cut by nearly a quarter, or $175 billion, compared with the previous year.
As a result, an estimated 82.2 million people worldwide were living away from their home communities last year, compared with 83.5 million in 2024, the study said.
