From Envirowiki

Climate Refugees are people forced to leave their home due to the impacts of climate change.

it is unknown who the phrase was coined by, but Friends of the Earth have used it in their "Citizens Guide to Climate Refugees". the Australian Government refuses to acknowledge that cliamte is a threat to anyone's way of live, and does not use the term.

[edit] first "Official" Climate refugees

980 residents of the Carteret Atolls began evacuation from their islands to Bouganville, Papua New Guinea in early 2006. "Pacific Atlantis: first climate change refugees" - Guardian article. this is due to minor rises in sea levels causing land erosion, and soil salination, reducing the possbility of growing crops.

[edit] possible causes of Climate refugees

there are many ways the climate can affect people, especially those in already tenuous positions. some of these problems can be overcome, others can't.

[edit] Desertification

changing global climate has the potential to severly reduce rainfall in specific areas. most of eastern australia is a prime example, and has had many more drought years in the last 3 decades^{[reference needed]} than previously.