Venue: Blue Zone, Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion on 1 Dec. 14:00-14:50 UAE Time

According to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as climate change impacts increase in frequency and intensity—interacting with various socio-economic, environmental, and political factors—a growing number of people will be at risk of displacement. In the Pacific, one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change, both slow and sudden climate impacts continue to cause serious socio-economic, cultural, and environmental loss and damage; while contributing to human mobility, including displacement and migration. As a result, the region expects increased challenges emerging from climate mobility in the years ahead, demanding a coordinated regional response.

Against this backdrop, the Pacific Governments recently endorsed a Regional Framework on Climate Mobility at the 52^nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Meeting in the Cook Islands in November 2023. The framework recognizes the urgent need to strengthen understanding, coordination and cooperation on climate change-related human mobility; to establish adequate human rights-based response and support mechanisms for people at risk; and to adopt a pro-active and planned approach to address climate mobility and enhance Pacific resilience and well-being. One of its unique aspects is that the framework is upfront in recognizing the right of our Pacific people to stay in their homes as a fundamental priority.

It aims to guide governments in addressing specific legal, policy and practical issues that will arise from increased climate mobility in the following areas: staying in place, displacement, migration, planned relocations and stranded migrants. The framework is the result of two years of work, led by the Joint-Working Group on Climate Mobility, co-chaired by the Government of Tuvalu and Government of Fiji, and supported by a regional programme on Pacific Climate Change Migration and Human Security.

The side event will provide a space for Pacific perspectives and lived experiences to be shared; emphasizing the urgency of accelerated action and commitment to help avert, minimize and address climate-related displacement and manage migration towards climate resilience. Specifically, the side event will showcase the process to arrive at a regional framework to address future climate mobility, and will identify opportunities for implementation under the purview of ambitious regional and national climate action plans. It will also be an opportunity to share lessons learned and approaches for empowering civil society and communities to actively engage in managing climate mobility, which may be replicated in other regions.