Crisis within crisis: Refugees’ energy crisis

While Europe has been witnessing the severe consequences of its refugee crisis for more than a decade, anti-migrant politicians have been fuelling tensions with their hate-filled rhetoric. Life for most refugees will become worse as Europe faces one of its worst energy crises in years. In a newly published book, The Rise of Eco-fascism, the writers discuss the climate politics of the Front National in France, Fidesz in Hungary, and Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines, as variants of these climate ‘acceptors.’ A reading of this volume reveals has two big realities: that the climate crisis which the world now faces has led to the ascendency of far-right leaders and, secondly, how the increase of energy has made the refugee crisis much worse. Are these trends related?

The financial situation in refugee camps is more troubling due to the global energy crisis. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), approximately 80 per cent live below the poverty line. They struggle to pay their monthly expenses – of which rent and utilities consume the most income. In some of the areas, there is the energy access problem. The people use only coal and firewood for heating and cooking. According to the Chatham House Report for the Moving Energy Initiative reports, in the age of green energy revolution, especially after the pandemic, it is shameful that the majority of camps rely on inefficient techniques to burn biomass, like wood.

Because, it emits 4.54 tCO2 per ton of oil equivalent, compared with 2.79 tCO2 from burning an equivalent amount of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The report shows that, short-term, politically-orientated humanitarian funding is inadequate to finance long-term clean energy solutions. While all propaganda machines are saying that we are shifting from oil based economy to green economy, why can we not see the same transition in refugee camps?

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Undeniably, without safe and reliable access to energy, it can be impossible to meet the basic needs of life. In 2015, while I was working as a reporter at the Syrian-Turkish border in the camps of Azaz, a city in north-west Syria,  people on an average missed three meals a week, even though they had food but no fuel to cook. Last week, I interviewed one of my old colleagues from the region who said “the situation is still the same, and worse in some areas. The cost of fuel is really high and wood-based fuels now threaten the health of refugees. Last week, one kid, four-years-old, burnt her two arms while playing with fire wood that her mother set up for cooking lentil soup.”

She added: “In the city of Idlib, UNHCR is increasing access to renewable energy for 10,000 refugees and people from the host community. By providing solar-powered water heating and electricity systems to low-income homes, schools and community centres together with IKEA Foundation, they are making sure people can live with dignity. But, this is not enough yet.”

Clearly, funds need to be increased and provided directly to refugees, host communities and supporting UN agencies.

Last year, the European Commission adopted two financing decisions, amounting to €560 million, to support inclusive quality education for refugees in Turkey for the period of 2021-2023. With the unaffordable price hikes to energy, this fund must be re-evaluated and regulated with fair conditions again. Even in the UK, households in some areas are spending up to 66 per cent more of their budget on heating. Conditions in refugee camps are far worse than that.

It is clear that refugees are living in a crisis within a crisis. While leaders are trying to save environment by green-washing targets, a healthy environment should be provided for refugees in terms of status, access to services and livelihood opportunities. No anti-refugee rhetoric or policies will save the environment and enable countries, rich and poor, to reach their CO2 emissions goal framed by the UN Paris Climate Agreement in 2015.

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The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.