1. Introduction: There are fast-growing numbers of people who can no longer gain a secure livelihood in their homelands because of environmental problems such as natural disasters, land degradation due to poor land use, and the effects of climate change. Below we see local examples of the social, ecological and ethical ramifications of these environmental refugees but the problem is quickly becoming a worldwide epidemic, “The IPCC warns that we may face 150 million environmental refugees by 2050; U.N.H.C.R. warns of 250 million” (Love, 2010; 1). Natural Disaster Refugees: Social Aspects of Hurricane Katrina Natural disasters are responsible for the creating environmental refugees, but who is at fault? What can be changed? Natural disaster refugees are people displaced due to direct effects of natural hazards: flood, tornado, volcano eruption, earthquake, or landslides. This leads to financial, environmental, and human losses. Social implications of Hurricane Katrina were unprecedented. As climate change rates increase, the frequency and intensity of natural disasters increase as well. Due to evacuation, families were separated. In New Orleans alone, Katrina did over $30 billion in damage to the city. Outbreak of health problems such as, Food poisoning, dehydration, and spread of various diseases. SOLUTION: There is no one solution to natural disasters, because they occur naturally, but we can focus on the areas in which anthropogenic activities have increased the likelihood of disasters. By building stronger structures that would withstand disasters and reducing anthropogenic influences. Climate Refugees: Ethical Aspects in Bangladesh Climate change effects in Bangladesh directly affected people’s social and economic stability; therefore, those people were forced to relocate. A climate refugee is a person who is forced to relocate, either to a new country or to a new location, due to climate change related environmental disasters. Poor people in developing world have hardly contributed to the problem of global warming, yet they are likely to suffer the most. Bangladesh contributes roughly 0.1% of Carbon emissions in the world (WRI, 2007). Future sea level rise vary from 8-110 cm by the end of the century and the Ganges Delta would lose 12-18 % of its land (Michaud, 2008; 113). Severe rejections from neighboring countries, loss of traditions, and mental instability create difficulties for climate refugees to find their new home. SOLUTION: Issue of climate refugees needs to be addressed by both developing and underdeveloped countries in order to reduce the future amount of climate refugees and mitigate people gradually adapting to climate change effects in underdeveloped states. Ecological refugees: When Land is No Longer Livable Humans depend on the land to survive. We cut, mine, drain, build on and feed off Earths resources. This demand on earth’s ecosystem requires a sustainable approach to remain balanced. Poor land use can lead to degradation that permanently makes the land unusable. Desertification is extreme deterioration of land due to loss of vegetation and soil moisture. Once exposed the moisture and nutrient rich soil can degrade soil so much it turns to sand. This results mostly from man-made activities such as agriculture, animal husbandry and irrigation. China’s Gobi Desert is a prime example for ecological refugees. 2,500 sq km of land turns to desert per year In Beijing, dust storms from the nearby Gobi are a regular hazard, while the Gobi’s sand dunes advance at a rate of fifteen miles a year—and are now just fifty miles away from the city. Environmental Refugees caused by poor land use practices displaced as much as 25 million 2000, and by 2010 its estimated there will likely be twice as many. SOLUTION: Efforts to reduce desertification include land-use regulations and restoration projects. For example, in an effort to slow the expansion of the Gobi desert, China planted the Green Wall of China, a huge ring of newly-planted forests that the Chinese government hopes will act as a buffer against further expansion. Figure 2: This is New Orleans, LA after Hurricane Katrina ripped through Louisiana and broke several levees causing massive flooding in the area. Figure 1: This photo is an example of a child separated from her family, and taking care of a younger sibling. This was the case many of the children left behind after Hurricane Katrina. Photographer: John T. Jost Elysia Morrison Mercedes Morales Victoria Choe References Figure 1. http://thesituationist.wordpress.com/2007/02/27/the-young-and-the-lucky/http://thesituationist.wordpress.com/2007/02/27/the-young-and-the-lucky/ Figure 2. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/us_leads_world.phphttp://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/us_leads_world.php Figure 3. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~anthro/courses/306/feedback.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~anthro/courses/306/sahel-desertification.html&usg=__YXBu-DUHHUI1JA7N8QpQHtu6Lk4=&h=1233&w=856&sz=310&hl=en&start=22&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=uNYmRgwoMuihUM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddesertification%2Bfeedback%26start%3D21%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D21%26tbs%3Disch:1 Figure 4. Fifty million climate refugees by 2010. (2008). In UNEP/GRID-Arendal Maps and Graphics Library. Retrieved 03:24, March 7, 2010 from http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/fifty-million-climate-refugees-by-2010.http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/fifty-million-climate-refugees-by-2010 Figure 5. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://gurumia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Climate-refugees-in-Bangladesh2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://gurumia.com/2009/12/11/rising-sea-level-make-threats-20-million-people-in-bangladesh/&usg=__Ooo9PoskafMaucE9vFUCGQBRufQ=&h=341&w=510&sz=36&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=gSmOOW7bMsVSDM:&tbnh=88&tbnw=131&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dclimate%2Brefugees%2Bin%2BBandladesh%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1 Figure 6. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.safecom.org.au/images/bangladesh-climate-turmoil.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.safecom.org.au/climate-humanrights.htm&usg=__tGrllLQsgkc-svMkiUty89M36rM=&h=288&w=400&sz=41&hl=en&start=4&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=9algO3Cx1QcxJM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dclimate%2Brefugees%2Bin%2BBandladesh%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1 Michaud, L. (2008). Bangladesh. In S. G. Philander (Ed.)Encyclopedia of Global Warming and Climate Change, (Vol. 1). (pp. 112-114) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from Gale Virtual Reference Library via Gale: http://go.galegroup.com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=wash_mainhttp://go.galegroup.com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=wash_main World Resource Institute. (2007). Country Profiles: Bangladesh. Earth Trends: The Environmental Information Portal. Love, M. (2010). Shelter From the Storm. America. America Press Inc. March 5, 2010 ENVIR 100 Section AF – Julie Combs Figure 6: Turmoil in Bangladesh during extreme floods. Figure 3: Illustration of desertification effects on feedback loops. Case study Global Environmental Refugees Figure 4: World Map of Environmental Refugees marked with Case Study locations Figure 5: Illustration of low-laying area in Bangladesh, rice fields are under water.