Climate Crisis in Iran Causes Mass Migration

Tens of Thousands Displaced Annually Due to Droughts and Government Mismanagement

• Iran is facing a severe climate crisis, with record temperatures, prolonged droughts, and the drying up of rivers and lakes displacing tens of thousands of Iranians each year.
• Many of the climate migrants are farmers, laborers, and fishermen who are moving with their families from the countryside to major urban areas in Iran in search of alternative livelihoods.
• Iranian officials have blamed worsening water scarcity and rising desertification on climate change, but experts say the crisis has been exacerbated by government mismanagement and rapid population growth.
• While the exact number of climate migrants is unknown, Iranian media estimated that around 42,000 people in 2022 were forced to migrate due to the effects of climate change, including drought, sand and dust storms, floods, and natural disasters.
• Experts say a growing number of Iranians are likely to leave rural areas as more areas of Iran -- where most of the land is arid or semiarid -- become uninhabitable every year.

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