Climate Change Vulnerability and Migration:
Nexus, Challenges and Responses
Md. Shahidul Haque
Director, IOM, Geneva
Climate Vulnerable Forum Ministerial Meeting
13-14 November, Dhaka
1
Introduction
Vulnerability is highly contextual to geographical,
socio-economic, gender and age factors
Three ways to look at climate change vulnerability
and migration nexus:
First:
Displacement / forced migration can be a
manifestation of climate change vulnerability
Second: Mass population flows can create new
vulnerabilities for mobile populations, as well
as for their communities of origin and
destination
Third: Migration can also be a strategy to reduce
vulnerability to climate change
2
Climate Change Vulnerability and Migration
Displacement / forced migration can be a
manifestation of climate change vulnerability
High exposure to climatic
events and processes,
combined with low
resilience / adaptation
capacity leaving no choice
but to move
Result of lack of
alternatives, low levels of
development,
marginalization, low
preparedness…
© International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
3
Climate Change Vulnerability and Migration
Migration can create new vulnerabilities
© IOM 2005 - MPK0049 (Photo: Meral Jabucar)
Risks incurred during the
movement phase
Displacement onto more
marginal lands / into
hazardous and precarious
conditions (e.g. urban slums)
Prolonged displacement
(e.g. in camps)
Protection challenges
(uncertainty of status)
Challenges for those who
stay behind
4
Climate Change Vulnerability and Migration
Migration can be a strategy to reduce vulnerability
Migration as a
survival strategy
– “last resort”, in the
event of impending
or acute natural
disaster
Migration as an
adaptation strategy
– manages risks
– reduces reliance on the
environment for
subsistence
– allows for livelihood and
income diversification
Trapped populations 
vulnerability of those who
cannot move
5
© IOM October 2009
Conceptualization
A working definition
“Environmental migrants are persons or groups
of persons who, for compelling reasons of sudden
or progressive change in the environment that
adversely affects their lives or living conditions, are
obliged to leave their habitual homes, or choose to
do so, either temporarily or permanently, and who
move either within their country or abroad.”
IOM 2007
6
Drivers of Environmental Migration
Environmental
factors:
Sudden onset
Slow onset
Environmental
degradation
Individual
Cultural
Social
factors
Environmental
Migration
Economic
factors
Political factors
7
Responses to Environmental Migration Vulnerability
Migratory responses:
First:
Prevent forced migration resulting from
environmental factors to the extent
possible.
Second: Provide assistance and protection to
affected populations where forced
migration does occur, and to seek
durable solution to their situation.
Third:
Facilitate migration as an adaptation
strategy to climate change.
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Managing Environmental Migration
5. Address longterm challenges:
durable
solutions,
migration,
development
and adaptation
1. Prevent forced
migration, facilitate
migration as
adaptation
2. Prepare for
displacement and
relocation
4. Mitigate
impacts of forced
or mass migration
3. Manage
migration:
assistance and
protection
9
IOM’s Role and Responsibility
Policy
 Policy dialogue (national, regional, international)
 Focus on coherent and proactive policymaking
Research
 Inter-disciplinary research and publications
 Links between research and policy communities
Operations
 Humanitarian response to displacement induced by
natural disaster / complex emergencies
 Global cluster lead for Camp Coordination and
Management in Natural Disasters
 Reducing vulnerability and promoting adaptation to
environmental and climate change
10
IOM Experience
Sea-level rise
and gradual environmental
change –
Sustainable development and
climate change adaptation
against migration pressures
Sudan
© IOM 2006 - MSD0247 (Photo: Sunil Srivastava)
Mauritius
Drought, water scarcity
and conflict –
Vulnerability mapping for
durable solutions to
displacement
11
IOM Experience
Bangladesh
Eastern Africa
Cross-border pastoralism,
resource scarcity and conflict –
Disasters, erosion
and sea-level rise –
Emergency
response, disaster
risk reduction and
capacity building
© Sven Torfinn/IOM 2006 - MSD0142
Ensuring pastoralist
livelihoods, enabling
adaptation through mobility
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IOM Experience
Haiti
Myanmar
High vulnerability, low
preparedness –
Emergency response, urgent
health care and shelter
assistance for the displaced
Degradation and
disasters, cumulative
vulnerability, complex
emergencies –
Disaster risk
reduction and
livelihood stabilization
© International Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies
13
IOM Experience
Azerbaijan
Water scarcity and
migration pressures –
© IOM 2009 - MAZ0016 (Photo: Jean Philippe Chauzy)
Traditional adaptation
strategies to stabilize
livelihoods
Colombia
Environmental vulnerabilities –
Adaptation through temporary
labour mobility
Protecting the most vulnerable –
Regional capacity building in
disaster risk reduction
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Way Forward
1.
Manage knowledge and improve data
2.
Enhance capacities: policy, legal instruments,
institutional structure and operational mechanisms
3.
Build comprehensive migration policies: migration,
adaptation, development, disaster risk management
4.
Operationalize migration: as adaptation and disaster
risk reduction strategies
5.
Mobilize resources: integrated policy development
and planning
6.
Commit politically at high level: dialogue,
partnerships and empowerment of affected people
15
Thank you
and
Discussion
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