Climate Change and Displacement: Emerging ICT Innovations from the World’s Largest Refugee Camp

This paper investigates the potential of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in aiding Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, affected by climate change-induced disasters. Focusing on creating tailored solutions, the study highlights challenges faced by refugees and the limited use of ICTs in providing effective support. Collaborating with Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) and their Voice of Palong (VoP) project, the research emphasizes the need for localized early warning systems and communication strategies. VoP’s initiatives, including radio programs and audio-visual content, empower refugees and host communities, enhancing resilience and cohesion. The review examines the concept of climate refugees, ICT’s role in resilience, and vulnerabilities of Rohingya refugees. It stresses the importance of ICTs in monitoring climate change and underscores challenges faced by refugees in vulnerable areas. Discussing emerging themes like communication challenges, mistrust due to misinformation, and ICTs for localized content, the paper concludes by advocating collaborative efforts to utilize ICTs for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. It suggests scaling similar initiatives globally to revolutionize disaster response approaches in various humanitarian settings.