UK's Rwanda asylum plan criticised for ignoring climate threats

The British government failed to assess the climate threats posed to tens of thousands of asylum seekers it plans to send to Rwanda, the charity Christian Aid has said, as London's High Court ruled the controversial deportation policy was lawful.

Under a deal with Rwanda struck in April, Britain intends to relocate people who arrive on its shores illegally to the East African nation, more than 4,000 miles (6,400 km) away.

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These include risks to food security due to soil erosion caused by heavy rainfall, health threats linked to higher temperatures and the increased spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria.

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Rwanda - a small, mountainous nation of 13 million - is highly vulnerable to climate change and since the early 2000s, the frequency and severity of weather-related disasters such as floods and droughts have increased, the World Bank says.

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