IOM Launches New Initiative to Enhance Environmental Migration Data in the Eastern Caribbean
by Pablo Escribano, IOM San José
IOM launched a new initiative to enhance the collection and use of data and evidence on environmental migration, in partnership with the Commission of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project is implemented over a 15-month period in six countries of the OECS: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
During the launch event, H.E. Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS, recalled the importance of regional collaboration to facilitate the collection and exchange of relevant information. Ms. Michele Klein Solomon, Regional Director of IOM, highlighted the vulnerability of Caribbean countries to both sudden onset hazards and slow onset processes related to climate change. The featured address was delivered by H.E. Ms. Francine Baron, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Climate Resilience Executing Agency of Dominica.
The new initiative will serve to assess existing mechanisms and capacities in the target countries to collect and use data and evidence related to environmental migration. It will further promote the development of state-of-the-art systems based on built national capacities. Regional dialogue will be promoted to facilitate the exchange of information as the region regularly experiences cross border movements in disaster scenarios.
IOM and Senegal bring Migration in
the European Union Green Week 2020
To raise awareness of the relationship between nature, biodiversity and migration, Mayor Mamadou Lamine Thiam of Kebemer (Senegal), former President of the Network of Parliamentarians for Environmental Protection in Senegal (2000-2016) and President of Members of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Senegal, highlighted youth migration due to land degradation, which affects agricultural productivity and economic opportunity. He also recommended to better channel climate funds to youth and sustainable green jobs as part of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Ecuador Whole-of-government Workshop Discusses
the Migration and Climate Change Relation
Under the leadership of the Ecuadorian Ministry of the Environment, IOM, UNDP and UNICEF organized a virtual workshop on climate change, migration and the environment for government counterparts in October 2020. Around 60 participants contributed to the discussions along the four days, representing a strong engagement from various departments of the Government of Ecuador.
Ecuador is a country highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and human mobility driven by multiple hazards has been registered in the country, including in coastal areas but also in high mountain zones where glacier melt and landslides affect livelihoods and community resilience. The Ecuadorian Nationally Determined Contribution calls for the development of specific strategies to address climate migration, and the current development of the National Adaptation Plan represents an opportunity to promote action in this area.
The workshops notably addressed the situation of vulnerable populations in relation to climate migration, disaster risk reduction, and disaster displacement, as well as responses to climate migration in the country. During the working group segments, participants identified major obstacles to be addressed for an enhanced action on climate migration. Priorities to be tackled included capacity building, data and evidence gaps, and the need to define responsibilities. The workshops served to galvanize the attention of policymakers on this issue paving the way for a stronger incorporation of climate migration considerations in public policies.
Introducing Environmentally Sustainable Reintegration: A Two-fold Strategy
3 Ways in which Gender Equality Interlinks with
Climate Migration as an Adaptation Strategy:
Exploring the Links between Migration, the Environment and SDG 5
Moving Forwards: What’s Next on the Research Agenda for
Climate-related Migration and Displacement? An event by adelphi with Hind Aïssaoui Bennani, IOM Dakar
Vulnerable and Essential - Migrant Farmworkers, Wildfires and COVID19 A webinar looking into the specific patterns of vulnerability amongst migrants, and measures that can help improve assistance and engagement with migrants, to reduce risks for whole communities
Internal Displacement in the Context of Climate Change: Advancing a Human Rights-based Approach to Prevention, Response and Solutions A UN General Assembly Online Side Event
The UN House for West Africa will gather 34 United Nations (UN) agencies in one “green” building situated in the new Ministry neighborhood of Diamniadio (Dakar, Senegal). While symbolizing the union and the self-reliance of all UN agencies, this infrastructure will strive to contribute to the SDGs and the UN Greening the Blue Initiative by reducing its environmental impacts.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has committed to take the lead of the waste management sub-group of the Greening UN House group for the UN House project until minimum end of December 2020. This is a significant opportunity to support the integration of environmental sustainability considerations by advocating for ecofriendly practices regarding waste management, such as preventing waste creation, and promoting reuse and recycle practices. For IOM, it is also an opportunity to raise awareness of the Migration, Environment and Climate Change (MECC) nexus, as more sustainable and green practices and strategies would contribute to reducing environmental degradation.
The COVID-19 Pandemic, Migration and the Environment
IOM Blog Series
The COVID-19 pandemic is having profound, widespread impacts on migrants, refugees and displaced persons, as well as on migration patterns at local and global level. Its implications for the different facets of the migration and environment nexus are also significant, and very diverse. People evacuating and displaced as a consequence of disasters are facing specific challenges respecting physical distancing and practicing other infection prevention measures. Migrants forced to return towards their home countries and locations might put additional pressures on already fragile ecosystems and livelihoods. Families and communities that were relying on migration as an adaptation or coping strategy have little options to send out their members or have stopped receiving remittances.
In order to explore the theoretical and practical implications of these dynamics on migration and the environment all over the world, IOM is hosting a series of contributions by practitioners and researchers. This series provides a forum for the environment and migration community to share experiences, knowledge, ideas and recommendations on the linkages between the COVID-19 pandemic and disaster displacement, environmental migration, and the environmental impacts of people’s different movement decisions. This series includes contributions by authors with different disciplinary and professional backgrounds and on all regions of the world, aiming to provide a snapshot of the diversity and complexity of these implications.
Latest articles in the IOM Blog Series on "The COVID-19 Pandemic, Migration and the Environment":
Mariam Chazalnoël Traore @MariamChazal- IOM Thematic Specialist on Migration, Environment and Climate Change, IOM New York
Lorenzo Guadagno @lo_lo_loreIOM Migration, Environment and Climate Change - Department of Operations and Emergencies Liaison Officer, IOM Geneva
Sinziana Puscas sinziana09 - IOM Project Officer on Migration, Environment and Climate Change, IOM Geneva
Alice Baillat@AliceBail - IOM Associate Expert on Migration, Environment and Climate Change and IOM-PDD Liaison Officer, IOM Geneva
Soumyadeep Banerjee@soum_banerjee - IOM Thematic Specialist on Migration, Environment and Climate Change in Eastern and South Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Lisa Lim Ah Ken@LisaLimAhKen1 - IOM Thematic Specialist on Migration, Environment and Climate Change in the East and Horn of Africa
Pablo Escribano@pescribanoIOM - IOM Thematic Specialist on Migration, Environment and Climate Change in the Americas
Sabira Coelho@sabiracoelho - IOM Programme Manager on Migration, Environment and Climate Change in the Pacific
