Millions of people around the world continue to live without a recognized nationality, leaving them vulnerable to difficulties accessing essential services, education, employment and legal protection.

New global recommendations from the United Nations refugee agency highlight another growing concern: many stateless communities are living in countries highly exposed to climate change and environmental hazards.

Millions Face Statelessness

The global stateless population is estimated at around 4.5 million people based on available official data.

Stateless people are individuals who are not considered citizens or nationals by any country under its laws. Without recognized nationality, people can face significant barriers when attempting to obtain identity documents, access public services or participate fully in economic and social life.

The actual number may be considerably higher because statelessness is difficult to measure in many parts of the world.

Climate Exposure Adds Another Layer of Risk

A large majority of the world’s known stateless population lives in countries vulnerable to climate-related hazards.

Extreme weather events, rising temperatures, flooding, drought and environmental degradation can threaten homes and livelihoods in communities that already face limited legal protection.

For stateless people, recovering from a disaster can be particularly difficult when they lack recognized documentation or access to government assistance.

Disasters Can Increase Vulnerability

Climate-related disasters can force communities to move from their homes.

When people cross internal or international borders after disasters, proving identity and establishing legal status can become more complicated, particularly for people who already lack nationality.

Loss of identity documents during floods, storms or other disasters can create additional administrative difficulties.

Nationality and Identity Documents Matter

Legal identity is important for accessing many basic services.

Birth registration and official documentation can help establish a person’s legal identity and support access to education, healthcare and other government services.

For communities at risk of statelessness, ensuring that births are properly registered can be an important preventive measure.

Climate Change and Human Mobility

Climate change is increasingly influencing where people live and work.

Communities affected by repeated flooding, coastal erosion, drought or other environmental pressures may be forced to relocate.

When climate-related movement occurs in areas where nationality problems already exist, people can face additional legal and social challenges.

Governments Face a Growing Policy Challenge

Governments need to consider both climate resilience and nationality protection when developing policies for vulnerable communities.

Improving civil-registration systems, protecting identity documents and ensuring access to legal status can help reduce the risk that people become further marginalized following climate-related disasters.

International cooperation can also help countries address cross-border challenges involving people affected by environmental displacement.

Importance of International Cooperation

Statelessness is not limited to one region or continent.

Different communities experience nationality problems for different historical, legal and political reasons. Climate change can add a new dimension to these existing vulnerabilities.

International organizations are therefore encouraging governments to strengthen legal safeguards while improving disaster preparedness and climate resilience.

Protecting Vulnerable Communities

The combination of statelessness and climate exposure creates a complex humanitarian challenge.

People without recognized nationality may already have limited access to public services, while climate-related disasters can destroy homes, livelihoods and essential documents.

Strengthening legal identity systems and ensuring that vulnerable communities can access protection during emergencies could help reduce these risks.

A Growing Global Concern

The estimated 4.5 million known stateless people represent only those whose situations have been identified and recorded.

As climate-related hazards become more frequent or severe in vulnerable regions, the connection between nationality, legal identity and environmental displacement is receiving increasing international attention.

Protecting nationality rights and strengthening climate resilience will therefore remain important parts of efforts to ensure that vulnerable populations are not left without legal protection during future crises.