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Side-Event at the International Dialogue on Migration

Informing the Future: Understanding Human Mobility in the Context of Disasters, Climate Change and Environmental Degradation

Side-Event at the International Dialogue on Migration
October 5th, 2023, 13:30-14:45
InterContinental Hotel – Geneva, Switzerland and online

Background

Every year, millions of people are compelled to move in the context of sudden-onset disasters, while the livelihoods of millions more are affected by slow-onset climate change and environmental degradation, with many leaving their homes, and others remaining trapped in areas at risk. Unless such population movements are orderly, safe, and regular they can pose significant challenges to human security and people’s rights, even so in rapidly growing urban areas, and greatly undermine sustainable development, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and migration governance efforts.

To highlight existing policies, instruments and practices to address these challenges from a migration governance perspective, the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) led a dedicated project under the UN Network on Migration’s workstream on climate change and migration. In collaboration with various partners and with funding from Germany, they compiled and presented relevant evidence at the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) in New York in May 2022. A year on, following the collection of 1808 polices and laws, this collaborative effort culminated in the creation of the “CLIMB Database: Human Mobility in the Context of Disasters, Climate Change and Environmental Degradation Database”.

This state-of-the-art database collates key data on policy and legal instruments and practices addressing human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change and environmental degradation. It provides a resource for policymakers as well as researchers, practitioners and other stakeholders working in the area of policy development on human mobility, disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation. While the database uses the implementation of commitments under the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) as a starting point, it is also highly pertinent in relation to other key global policy frameworks in this area (e.g. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Sendai Framework).

Objectives
This side event will mark the official launch of the “CLIMB Database: Human Mobility in the Context of Disasters, Climate Change and Environmental Degradation Database”, which is hosted on the UN Network on Migration’s Hub.

The objectives of the side event are to:

• highlight progress and gaps in current policy implementation, related to the GCM and beyond, in the area of human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change and environmental degradation;
• provide a live walk-through of the database’s advanced features, visual analytics, and user-friendly interface that cater to both policymakers and researchers;
• discuss the evidence within the database, exploring its implications and its potential to inform future priority actions in policymaking and research.

Agenda

Opening remarks:

Moderator: Ms. Rania Ahmed, Director of Peace and Development Coordination (DPDC), IOM

• H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Kwame Asiedu Antwi, Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations Office at Geneva 
• Mr. Jonathan Prentice, Head of the Secretariat, UN Network on Migration

Panel discussion:

Moderator: Mr. Manuel Marques Pereira, Head of Migration, Environment, Climate Change and Risk Reduction (MECR) Division, IOM 

Speakers

• Mr. Atle Solberg, Head of Secretariat, Platform on Disaster Displacement
• Ms. Kerry-Lynn Maze, Sr. Knowledge Management Coordinator, GMDAC
• Mr. Eduardo José A. de Vega, Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines
• Ms. Suzana Simichen Sopta, Counsellor Humanitarian and Migration Section, EU Delegation to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva
• Mr. Anare Leweniqila, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Fiji to the UN in Geneva

Format

The side event will be held in hybrid format. Interpretation for the event will be available in English, Spanish and French. Sandwiches and drinks will be provided at the venue.