Up to 250 million may migrate due to water shortage by 2100 – Azerbaijani expert

By the year 2100, around 250 million people worldwide could be forced to leave their homes due to drought and water scarcity, said Rovshan Karimov, a researcher at Azerbaijan's Institute of Geography, during a panel discussion on "Global Climate Change: Drought Risk Management in Azerbaijan," held within Baku Water Week, Report informs.

According to Karimov, water shortages are already prompting people to migrate - for example, from mountainous areas to lowlands - as the lack of water reduces household income and pushes families to seek better living conditions. He noted that even in developed countries, people increasingly migrate due to climate-related reasons, as they have the resources to do so.

Karimov emphasized that Azerbaijan is classified as a country with an arid climate. Water-related resettlement is already occurring in districts such as Guba, Shabran, Siyazan, Khizi, Samukh, and Aghsu - with Guba experiencing the most significant outmigration.

He also pointed out that women are especially affected in this process, as they are more involved in household duties: "When there is no water, they have to walk long distances to fetch it. This takes away valuable time they could otherwise spend on their children or education," the expert added.