UNGA 2026 | Building Climate Resilience with Displaced Communities

Refugees and internally displaced people are among the most vulnerable populations to the impact of climate change – about 75% of all forcibly displaced people are exposed to extreme hazard risks. Despite experiencing disproportionate impacts from climate change, they are often excluded from climate adaptation policy development and implementation. 

Join Refugees International, the Tzu Chi Foundation, and The New Humanitarian during New York Climate Week for an event spotlighting efforts to meaningfully include refugee and IDP communities in climate action. The event will also launch a forthcoming Refugees International report that takes stock of governments' commitments at the Global Refugee Forum to include refugees and IDPs in climate adaptation planning.  

This discussion will bring together climate experts, researchers, humanitarian practitioners, policymakers, journalists, and representatives of displaced communities to explore what it means to build climate resilience with displaced communities. 

This event will be moderated by Jocelyn Perry, Senior Advocate and Program Manager of the Climate Displacement Program at Refugees International, who will be joined by: 

• Margaret Bassie | Tzu Chi Representative Sierra Leone
• Julia Davatzes | Consultant, Refugees International Climate Displacement Program
• Ayoo Irene Hellen | Founder of Hope in the Heat and Refugees International Fellow Emeritus
• Yuot Aleer Deng | Refugees International Fellow and Refugee Climate Activist in Kenya