Less than a sixth of countries’ climate adaptation plans, and less than 2% of national plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions mention homelessness, despite climate change endangering those already experiencing homelessness and putting millions more at risk of losing their homes.
“The climate blind spot on homelessness: Omissions and opportunities in national climate plans” report released today ahead of UN climate talks by Depaul International and leading climate policy and research organisation the International Institute for Environment & Development (IIED), reveals a glaring blind spot in national climate action, with almost all governments failing to recognise homelessness in their plans to tackle climate change.
The research examines how homelessness is addressed in countries’ national climate action plans (Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), which guide responses to climate change.
Just two countries’ (1.2%) NDCs explicitly mention homelessness, while only eleven countries’ NAPs (13.9%) refer to it. Of these, just six recognise the heightened vulnerability of people experiencing homelessness to climate-related risks.
Depaul International and IIED are calling on governments at COP31 to explicitly recognise homelessness in national climate plans, backed by dedicated funding, clear responsibilities and measurable commitments. We also calls on global climate institutions to integrate homelessness into adaptation, Loss and Damage, and climate finance frameworks, and to recognise homelessness organisations as essential partners in climate planning and emergency responses.
We’re seeking to inspire a new cross-sectoral movement to tackle this challenge.