Environmental refugees: Direct or indirect way to a conflict

Under the influence of ever more frequent effects of climate change and the adverse impact of man on the environment, there is an increase in natural and technological disasters in the world in recent decades, which inevitably affect an increasing number of people, while leading to the emergence and increase in the number of new type of refugees - environmental refugees. According to unofficial data, in the mid 1990s there were approximately 25 million environmental refugees worldwide, with their numbers growing daily. Taking into account the assumptions of many international organizations, institutions and scientists that the impact of climate change in the future will be ever more pronounced, this will cause changes in the environment that will cause the number of environmental refugees to greatly exceed the number of 'traditionally produced refugees' in the world. Such a situation may complicate economic, religious, political and ethnic intolerances to such an extent that they can easily culminate, or turn into conflicts of smaller or larger proportions. The paper particularly focuses on the problem of defining the notion of environmental refugees on the international level, growth trends, future situation, causes of their occurrence, as well as a consequence of their growing numbers - an increase in conflicts