22 Global Recommendations on Nationality and Statelessness in the Context of Climate Change PART A 23 Global Recommendations on Nationality and Statelessness in the Context of Climate Change 3. T HE NEXUS BETWEEN NATIONALITY AND STATELESSNESS AND THE ADVERSE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE PART A Affected populations Map 1: Stateless populations in countries that have high to extreme exposure to climate-related hazards  Note: Highlighted countries are selected for having a combination of ‘high’ to ‘extreme’ (a) S  tateless persons and persons without a recognized nationality status 3.4 Nearly 90% of the 4.5 million stateless persons reported by UNHCR in 202518 were living in countries that are already highly exposed to climate-related hazards, and that exposure is set to worsen. This includes countries in South and South-East Asia, Western, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Middle East, while other regions are also affected. Climate-related hazards have disproportionate impacts on stateless people living in the most exposed and vulnerable situations. Examples are highlighted in Map 1. 3. THE NEXUS BETWEEN NATIONALITY AND STATELESSNESS AND THE ADVERSE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE exposure to climate-related hazards and being among the countries with the largest reported numbers of stateless persons in UNHCR’s 2025 Global Trends Report. Climate-related hazard exposure (floods, drought, extreme heat) High Severe Extreme 3.5 People who are already stateless and persons without a recognized nationality status often face specific, heightened risks because of pre-existing vulnerabilities that arise because of their lack of legal status and marginalisation. In the context of the adverse impacts of climate change, exclusion due to lack of legal status may take on more serious, life-threatening dimensions. For example, stateless persons and persons without a recognized nationality status may be excluded from critical support services, including disaster relief and emergency healthcare, that may only be available to those who are nationals or those who have a recognized legal status. Those who work in the informal economy may face loss of livelihoods resulting from extreme weather events, from which they may have little or no support to recover. Individually or together, these vulnerabilities leave stateless persons more exposed to climate and disaster-related harms, while having little access to support or protection. Syrian Arab Republic 160k Kuwait Lebanon 92k 40k Saudi Arabia 70k India Bangladesh 22.7k 1.2M Myanmar 519.6k Thailand 610.8k Côte d’Ivoire 930.9k South Sudan 60.6k Cambodia 75k Viet Nam 25.2k Brunei Darussalam 20.9k Namibia 14.8k The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Sources: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder, CGIAR Malaysia 134.7k