KNOMAD Thematic Working Group on Environmental Change and Migration

In 2010, Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) adopted the Cancun Adaptation Framework, which called on all countries to take “measures to enhance understanding, coordination and cooperation with regard to climate change induced displacement, migration and planned relocation, where appropriate, at national, regional and international levels.” In 2015, the UNFCCC adopted further language, establishing a taskforce to address the displacement consequences of climate change.

Deriving sustainable solutions for individuals, households and communities affected by climate change requires improved understanding of the ways in which environmental change, in the context of other drivers, intersects with development to make people more or less vulnerable or resilient to both acute environmental events and ongoing environmental processes. The converse is also true; there is need for greater understanding of the ways that migration, displacement and planned relocation affect the resilience and vulnerability of those who move in the context of environmental change.

Areas of Focus

The interconnections between environmental change, resilience and migration are the principal focus. More specifically, we intend to address:

• Improvements needed in the data and analytic tools available to a) improve understanding of the determinants of migration, displacement and planned relocation; b) assess the impact of migration and planned relocation when used as adaptation strategies; c) identify ways to avoid displacement in the context of environmental change; and d) to assess the impacts of adaptation and climate resilience strategies aimed at enabling those who wish to remain in situ to do so.
• Integration of mobility considerations into adaptation and climate resilience planning to encourage more effective strategies to be developed to address migration, displacement and planned relocation.
• The role of resilience and vulnerability as determinants of environmentally-induced mobility and as factors affecting the success of adaptation and climate resilience strategies.

Chair:
Susan Martin, Georgetown University

Co-Chair:
Kanta Kumari, World Bank

Focal Point:
Nadege Desiree Yameogo, World Bank nyameogo@worldbank.org

Read more at: http://www.knomad.org/thematic-working-group-single/9#description

Events Page: http://www.knomad.org/thematic-working-group-single/9#events