Floods, tropical storms, earthquakes, volcanoes, droughts, famines and industrial and technological disasters all force people from their homes. War destroys human life and all that supports it. Whether as the deliberate tactics of attack, i.e. ecological warfare, through mindless destruction of habitats, or through the large scale scattering of mines, war's effects on the environment carry on oblivious to the delicacies of political ceasefires. Around 3.5 million refugees worldwide are at this moment afraid to return. With estimates of between 85-100 million mines remaining in 62 countries worldwide, at an estimated removal cost of 85 billion US dollars, reactive legal regulation here is a prime example of too little too late.
Resettlement frequently involves a mere removal and creates floating populations.
The authorities often fail in their obligations to resettle the displaced adequately and with full compensation. When resettlement plans are badly designed, researched or funded, the displaced find themselves in a similar situation to refugees,and accordingly require and deserve assistance. It has been suggested that climate change, with the resultant sea level rise and increase in extremes of weather and hence disasters, may displace up to 150 million by the middle of next century. Bangladesh, Egypt and India have dense populations situated on their coastal and river bank areas. It has been forecast that some small island states will be completely submerged.