Regional Dialogue to Address Human Mobility and Climate Change Adaptation in the Eastern Caribbean

Location: Eastern Caribbean 

Executing Agency: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Partners: Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)

Donor: German Federal Foreign Office

Duration: 15 months

Project rationale

Eastern Caribbean countries and territories are highly vulnerable to a number of environmental and climate hazards. In 2018, IOM carried out a Migration Governance Needs Assessment in the ten island states of the Commonwealth Caribbean that highlighted the limited integration of human mobility issues in climate change and disaster plans and strategies. Identified gaps of available data and evidence must be addressed as countries require adequate information to plan their interventions. In 2019, IOM also organized a capacity building workshop for policymakers on Migration, Environment and Climate Change, including on data needs and gaps. 

The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration defines a set of objectives that include minimizing the adverse drivers and structural factors that compel people to leave their country of origin, paying special attention to natural disasters, the adverse effects of climate change, and environmental degradation, while requiring countries to advance in the collection of adequate and reliable data. The Caribbean Migration Consultations Draft Plan of Action on Human Mobility in Contexts of Disasters and Climate Change also recognizes the need for adequate data to improve policymaking on environmental migration in the Caribbean.

Project description

This 15-month project proposes to build a regional dialogue series in the Eastern Caribbean that will enhance governments' capacities to collect, analyse and utilize data on human mobility and vulnerability derived from environmental change. The initiative will support efforts to integrate human mobility in climate change strategies and will enable the development of evidence-based policies that strengthen the human security of vulnerable populations.

Participating countries

•    Antigua and Barbuda
•    Dominica
•    Grenada
•    Saint Kitts and Nevis
•    Saint Lucia
•    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Policy makers in six OECS countries use enhanced data and evidence regarding environmental migration
National data systems are assessed to identify strengths, weakness and opportunities to enhance evidence on environmental migration. The capacities of national stakeholders are developed on data collection and management. Technical guidelines are created at the national level in cooperation with national practitioners.

National and regional dialogue on environmental migration and security enhance actors’ abilities to cooperate
A series of national workshops in six target countries is organized to discuss the status of data collection and management regarding environmental migration and identify enhancements.
A regional conference is convened at the OECS level to identify best practices, develop regional guidelines, and design a roadmap for enhanced cooperation.
A final publication is prepared and disseminated identifying the needs highlighted through the process and proposing a road map to build capacities in better understanding, preventing, and addressing human mobility.
 

For more information, contact: IOM Dominica