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Tuesday 5 April 2011

Report on the 2011 IOM Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and Migration Workshop

 
Report on the 2011
Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and Migration Workshop
29-30 March 2011
International Conference Center Geneva (CICG)
17 rue de Varembe, Geneva, Switzerland

A forum organized by the IOM for international and non-governmental organization, Observer States and other partners to share experiences and perspectives on migration with a view to identify practical solutions and fostering greater cooperation.
The purpose of the workshop was to explore policy, research and technical capacities that will be needed to manage the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on human mobility.

The Workshop was divided as follows:
29 March 2011 - Day 1

10:00 - 10:10
Welcome Remarks
  • Laura Thompson, Deputy Director General, IOM
10:10 - 10:40
Keynote Address
  • Luis Alfonso de Alba Góngora, Special Representative for Climate Change, Mexico (Bio)

10:40 - 11:00
Setting the Scene
  • Md. Shahidul Haque, Director, Department for International Cooperation and Partnerships, IOM
11:00 - 13:00
Session I: Environmental migration state of the art: Where we are, where we need to go
Moderator: Paul de Guchteneire, Chief, International Migration and Urbanization, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,

Speakers:
  • Richard Black, Chair, Lead Expert Group of the Foresight Global Environmental Migration Project, Government Office for Science, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, United Kingdom
  • Kate Halff, Head, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, Norwegian Refugee Council
  • Koko Warner, Head of Section, Academic Officer, Environmental Migration, Social Vulnerability and Adaptation, United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (Bonn, Germany) (Bio), and
  • Frank Laczko, Head, Migration Research Division, Department of International Cooperation and Partnerships, IOM (joint presentation)
14:00 - 15:00
Side Event: Reducing vulnerability, building resilience
Moderator: Mohammed Abdiker, Director, Department of Operations and Emergencies, IOM
Speakers:
  • Paul Rushton, Independent Expert (Bio)
  • Alexandre Magnan, Research Fellow, Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change, Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations – Sciences Po, France, (Bio) and
    Lalini Veerassamy, Head of Office, IOM Mauritius (joint presentation)
15:00 - 18:00
Session II: Capacities for comprehensive responses: From emergency assistance to sustainable development
Moderator: Margareta Wahlström, United Nations Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
Speakers:
  • José Miguel Leiva, Vice Minister for Natural Resources, Ministry for Environment and Natural Resources, Guatemala
  • Iruthisham Adam, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
  • Ahmed Kamal, Member, National Disaster Management Authority, Pakistan (Bio)
  • Ndéye Fatou Diaw Guene, Head of Division, Programme Manager for Climate Change, Directorate of Environment and Classified Establishments, Ministry of the Environment and Nature Protection, Senegal
  • Anh Tuan Le, Senior Lecturer, College of Environment and Natural Resources, Research Institute for Climate Change, CanTho University, Viet Nam (recommended by the Government of Viet Nam) (Bio)
End of day
30 March 2011 – Day 2
10:00 - 10:30 Migrant's Voice
  • Hindou Oumaru Ibrahim
10:30 - 13:00
Session III: Protecting and assisting environmental migrants: Building and strengthening frameworks and capacities
Moderator: Volker Türk, Director of International Protection, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Speakers:
  • Allehone Mulugeta Abebe,Minister Counsellor, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the United Nations Office in Geneva and other international Organizations in Switzerland (Bio)
  • Jane McAdam, Professor, Director of Research, School of Law, University of New South Wales (Bio)
  • Khalid Koser, Academic Dean and Head of the New Issues in Security Programme, Geneva Centre for Security Policy (Bio)
15:00 - 17:30
Session IV: Capacity Building for effective policymaking on environmental migration: Towards comprehensive policy frameworks
Moderator: Irena Vojackova-Sollorano, Director, Department of Migration Management, IOM
Speakers:
  • Hasan Mahmud, State Minister for Environment and Forests, Bangladesh (Bio)
  • Enrique Manalo, Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines, Mission of the Philippines to the European Union, and 
  • Raquel Lejtreger, Main Advisor to the Minister, Ministry of Housing, Territory Planning and Environment, Uruguay (Bio)
  • Thomas Loster, Chairman, Munich Re Foundation
17:30 - 18:00
Wrap-up and Closing Remarks
  • Laura Thompson, Deputy Director General, IOM
End of the Workshop
Background:

International migration is now a global phenomenon occurring at unprecedented rates. According to some of the latest figures there are around 215 million international migrants in the world today – one in every twenty-five people is an international migrant. Migration is not a solitary experience rather it ripples across the political and socio-economic spectrum of both sending and receiving communities, impacting migrants’ families left at home or individuals and communities receiving remittances. The forces that drive migration are powerful, including global development disparities, demography, violence and persecution, the global economic crisis, the revolution in the 3 Ts (Telecommunication, Tourism and transport), and increasingly the effects of climate change (Koser, 2010, 31).

There is a growing global awareness that the ability to manage and implement effective migration policies is today not simply the requirement of national governments but rather necessitates international cooperation. Highlighting this fact are the effects that climate change is having on human mobility which is estimated to displace between 25 million to one billion people in the next 40 years (IOM, 2009, 9).

The Workshop:

The central idea of the 2011 IOM Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and Migration workshop is that migration in the context of climate change can be both problem and solution: On the one hand, the serious humanitarian consequences of environmental migration cannot be ignored. On the other hand, and far from being a mere failure to adapt to a changing environment, migration has the potential to serve as an adaptation strategy. A comprehensive approach to environmental migration would thus pursue three broad objectives: a) to minimize forced, unmanaged migration as much as possible; b) where forced migration does occur, to ensure assistance and protection for those affected and seek durable solutions to their situation; and c) to facilitate the role of migration as an adaptation strategy to climate change. As such, particular emphasis was placed on analyzing capacities to effectively link migration management with climate change adaptation, slow onset and immediate disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.

The workshop stressed lack of an international coherent legal framework protecting environmentally induced migrants. Many of the expert panellists highlighted the emergency for an institutional framework to be devised as climate induced migration is expected to significantly increase in the coming years. Currently the multi-faceted consequences of environmentally induced migration are reliant upon the guiding principles devised for IDPs, aspects of the 1951 Geneva Convention for Refugees, policies effecting irregular migration, post-disaster mechanisms and legal frameworks distinguishing temporary or permanent migration; leaving many victims falling short of existing legal and normative structures.

However, the workshop underlined the importance of the agreements achieved during the 2010 Cancun Conference, specifically Article 14(f):
Invites all Parties to enhance action on adaptation under the Cancun Adaptation Framework, taking into account their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, and specific national and regional development priorities, objectives and circumstances, by undertaking, inter alia, the following:

(f) Measures to enhance understanding, coordination and cooperation with regard to climate change induced displacement, migration and planned relocation, where appropriate, at the national, regional and international levels;’ (UN,2010:5)

The achievement of the Cancun Conference has paved the way for NGOs, International Organisations and most of importantly States, to effectively engage at a legal, political and economical level in devising strategies a) preventing forced migration through adaptation strategies b) preparing for displacement and relocation c) devising migration management – migration assistance and protection schemes d) mitigating impacts of migration e) addressing the long term issues and durable solutions.

Session I: Environmental migration state of the art: Where we are, where we need to go

This workshop explored the policy, research, operational and technical capacities required to manage the multifaceted impact of climate change and environmental degradation on human mobility. The discussions of the various aspects of environmental migration incorporated different dimensions of capacity building, such as access to and use of reliable and compatible data and information, institutional capacity for national policymaking and international cooperation, as well as the development of appropriate legislations.

The overarching theme outlined in the analytical research session was the need for more robust evidence connecting migration and climate change as to produce substantial capacity building measures. However the session also demonstrated that important strides have been attained both on a regional and international scale in recent years. Dr. Frank Laczko introduced the DFIF research strategy 2008-2013 calling for more research on the Global South as evidence demonstrates that most climate-induced migration is and will occur predominantly between developing countries, with Dr. Koko Warner underlining Asia as one of the main affected areas. The session also highlighted that predominantly migration caused by the climate change is principally effecting in-country migration, i.e: creating large scale internally displaced persons (IDP) situations and hence a need for research has to shift towards focusing on IDP movement rather than international movement.

Kate Halff presented the work of the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) demonstrating that 2008, 36 million people were identified as having been internally displaced with 20 million because of climate related incidents (these figures maybe even higher as the IDMC work only covered displacement due to sudden disasters and not slow-onset environmental degradation). The panellists emphasized that an area of attention in tackling migration due to climate change must focus on people’s livelihoods. Dr. Koko Warner presented work undertaken by the United Nations University, Institute for Environment and Human Security (Bonn, Germany) in collaboration with CARE international focusing on people’s dependence on water, rain-fall patterns and river systems in Asia to sustain farming and agricultural livelihoods. Furthermore the study produced evidence of the depletion on water basins in Central America and Northern Africa (specifically Egypt) and the potentials of drought and migration.

In keeping with the IOM and the internationally recognised ‘adaption strategy’, Dr. Frank Laczko presented the IOM report “Assessing the Evidence: Environment, Climate Change and Migration in Bangladesh”. In regards to the field of Social Finance, the report discusses remittances as playing a key role in strengthening the capital bases of households and communities, increasing a population’s capacity to adapt to future climate hazards and related shocks.   
‘If migration is both planned and voluntary, it can provide a social safety net for loss of income, for example through both financial and social remittances, and potentially help alleviate pressure on already degraded lands. Mainstreaming migration into development, climate change and environment policy to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of human mobility should therefore be acknowledged as a priority issue for policymakers as they seek to plan for environmental and climate related challenges in the future.’(IOM, 2010: 6)


More specifically the positive effects of remittances may include; even consumption of basic needs such as food across seasons; sustained access to basic needs in times of livelihood shocks such as drought; ability to finance the acquisition of human, social, physical and natural capital; and increased demand and subsequent stimulation of the local economy (http://www.cmimarseille.org/_src/Other/WB-AFD_ClimateChangeMigration_ConceptNote.pdf). Further evidence of relating to positive impacts of remittances in accordance to climate-change can be found in Priya Deshingkar work noted by Prof. Richard Black. Mr Deshingkar’s work looks at remittances and how to prepare for future environmental events through technology and brain-gain. Moreover the study is part of the extensive and thorough work regarding Global Environmental Migration of the Foresight Project, chaired by Prof. Black, due to be released in October 2011 (http://www.bis.gov.uk/foresight/our-work/projects/current-projects/global-environmental-migration).

Side Event: Reducing vulnerability, building resilience.

Already today, environmental change is a reality for people around the world and IOM and its partner organizations have developed a variety of strategies and activities to respond to the specific emerging challenges linked to those changes. In line with IOM's comprehensive approach to human mobility, interventions cover the continuum from emergency preparedness and response to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, contributing to the sustainable development of countries and communities. This side event presented an illustrative selection of concrete projects, which support governments and populations in coping with the effects of climate change.

Paul Rushton presented two projects: Environmental Planning for Return (EPR) and the Environmental and Livelihoods Vulnerability Mapping (ELVM). The former sought to enhance the potential for durable return by consulting specific communities, gathering knowledge pertinent to peoples’ use of natural resources and contributing to the sustainability of the return process by supporting sustainable environmental management and livelihood development, while the latter evaluated and mapped the vulnerability of traditional rural livelihoods as well as key natural features and patterns across North and South Darfur. Mr Rushton discussed how these maps have the potential to guide and inform return and resettlement planning by showing where natural resources are climatically stable and where they are subject to inter-annual variations, such as flooding or drought.

Both projects adopted contrasting, yet complementary, approaches. The EPR work focused on a series of stakeholder consultation meetings which resulted in community-based environmental action plans (CEAPs) being developed and implemented at selected sites. The action planning process was based on a participatory learning and action approach, chosen specifically for the opportunities it gives community members to voice their concerns and desires. In contrast, the ELVM project was mainly undertaken through remote sensing using a range of satellite imagery and databases, complemented with expert technical advice and some on-the-ground verification of data (http://proactnetwork.org/proactwebsite/media/download/PAupdates/ProAct_Update_1010.pdf).

The projects focused on re-integrating displaced communities within their habitual agricultural and livelihood systems. The projects worked with local communities in regenerating land which had been heavily negated during the armed conflict causing deforestation, desertification, soil erosion and a declining in soil fertility. Through the programs activities (i) Community Tree Nursery, (ii) Agricultural Capacity-Building, (iii) Fuel-Efficient Stove (FES) training, and (iv) Water Management the project managed to successfully address the issues faced by returning communities regarding reforestation, better fuel and energy management, efficient water use, agricultural capacity, livelihood opportunities and improved sanitation and hygiene - all of which in boost climate resilience and economic growth from the bottom up breaking a cycle of displacement.

In regards to Social Finance, Mr Rushton offered further information regarding the report ‘Microfinance assessment consultancy to Darfur, Sudan’. The report discussed how the partnership of the UNDP and IOM, UNEP is leading an environment technology task force (ENTEC) aiming to address the need for alternative energy in deforested and water-scarce region of Darfur. Furthermore the report discussed how the UNDP has held two of three multi-stakeholder workshops at state-level with the aim to identify gaps and develop longer-term support strategies for livelihoods and conflict-sensitive microfinance, suggesting these strategies could be integrated in UNDP’s ongoing Darfur Enhancing Livelihoods Project for expanded livelihood and economic recovery activities. For information regarding this project please contact G2emp_sfu@ilo.org .

Session II: Capacities for comprehensive responses: From emergency assistance to sustainable development

Environmental factors ranging from natural disasters, such as flash floods or earthquakes, to environmental degradation, such as desertification or sea-level rise, have a negative impact on exposed and especially vulnerable countries, cities and populations around the world. They have prompted States and their partners as well as local populations to develop strategies, policies and programmes along a continuum ranging from emergency preparedness and response to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. This session presented different types of responses to different types of challenges ranging from sudden to slow-onset disasters, based on sound disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation practices.

The main outcome from the second session was an emphasis on local sustainable capacity building looking at potential and already established plans and strategies to enhance the economic capacities and technical studies reinforcing infrastructures. Three country representatives (José Miguel Leiva, Vice Minister for Natural Resources, Guatemala, Ahmed Kamal, Member, National Disaster Management Authority, Pakistan and Ndéye Fatou Diaw Guene, Head of Division, Programme Manager for Climate Change, Ministry of the Environment and Nature Protection, Senegal) presented the high vulnerability their countries are facing due to climate change and offered insight into their adaptation strategies and how this is transforming migration patterns.

Key factors affecting the discussed countries are their vulnerability to the rise in sea levels, the increase in cyclones, the shifting of tectonic plates and the after-effects these events such as drought and sand storms. Each country emphasized that climate related disasters have been on the increase in the last decade.

Mr Ahmed Kamal presented sections on Pakistan’s five year plan aimed at empowering communities to be self-respondent to natural disasters. While Ms Ndeye Fatou Diaw Guene, presented Senegal’s consideration of migration as a spontaneous adaptation strategy to Climate Change focusing on protecting the livelihood of communities against drought along its 700 km coast line which has contributed to the 17.5% rise in rural to urban migration. However, Ms Ndeye Fatou Diaw Guene also presented the large scale transcontinental project the Grande Muraille Verte (GMV) initiated by CEN-SAD and endorsed by the African Union. It relies on a collaborative approach, involving multi-sector action in fighting the effects of desertification, poverty and climate change. The initiative GMV overall objectives: (i) to contribute to the fight against the deserts encroachment (ii) to integrate development of degraded areas of the Sahel with a view to implement sustainable management of natural resources and (iii) to fight against poverty. For more information visit: http://www.grandemurailleverte.org/ .

Session III: Protecting and assisting environmental migrants: Building and strengthening frameworks and capacities

Although the human rights of all those migrating are provided for by international migration law, there remains a need to strengthen the mechanisms and capacities to ensure effective protection and assistance to environmental migrants. Guided by the broad aim to minimize displacement and guarantee the safety and security of those who do move and their home and host communities, this session focused on instances of high vulnerability in the context of environmental migration. It examined existing legal frameworks and operational capacities in this regard and discussed possible avenues to address the identified gaps.

The experts presented an analysis of the legal and institutional complications in establishing a framework for the protection of climate-induced migrants. The panellists advanced examples of current conventions tackling aspects related to climate migrants, lessons learnt and available protection laws on which to draw from.

Dr. McAdam underlined the importance associated to how environment migrants are categorised, with specific emphasis on how and when is it appropriate to define an environmentally displaced person as forced or voluntary.  Furthermore, Dr. McAdam stressed the need for further research, especially in understanding the current ad-hoq tools (such as the US Post-Disaster Temporary Migration schemes) that are available to environmentally displaced people and what lessons can be drawn from them. Issues regarding the inappropriateness of the 1951 Geneva Convention in regards to environmental migrants were flagged, with awareness that there may be exceptional circumstances whereby asylum maybe offered i.e: starvation as a political weapon. 

As with many issues regarding the increase in global temperature the panel underlined the international impact occurring, effecting diverse and numerous human rights varying from the right to life, shelter, food, self-determination…etc. However, there was a realisation that the effects of global warming are not universally synonymous, rather the impact suffered by separate communities are on varying scales, speed (slow on-set degradation or immediate), social impact, economic impact and structural impact, demanding different adaptation strategies. Minister Counsellor of Ethiopia, Allehone Mulugeta Abebe, stressed international partnership as a key instrument in efficiently and successfully establishing both local and regional protection policies.

Mr Abebe presented the 2009 Kampala Convention as an example of good practices on which to draw upon. The Kampala Convention is the first established and internationally recognized convention to solely focus on IDPs. Its relationship and transferability of issues related to climate induced migrants is significant. The Convention demands States to recognize responsibility in providing disaster and post-disaster response plans providing protection and humanitarian aid. The convention stresses the importance of allowing people to freely move within a country’s national borders to seek safety. Furthermore, unlike previous IDP containment related policies, the Kampala Convention recognizes the right for people to move beyond national border to seek asylum. The Convention innovatively demands States to responsibly manage land, assuring that development does not cause displacement or degrade land putting populations at risk of natural disasters.

Dr Khalid Koser underlined some of the key difficulties in transferring legal and normative principles into a practicing framework for the protection of climate migrants. Dr. Koser presented his support for a soft law approach, as this would allow for the development of tools necessary to produce long-standing positive impacts. Dr Koser emphasised climate hazards and migration as part of grander scale of issues based within factors of security. Translating protection principles into legal and normative practices faces multi-dimensional challenges requiring for further collection of data, raising awareness, training, and preparation of national frameworks in order to present durable solutions.  

Session IV: Capacity Building for effective policymaking on environmental migration: Towards comprehensive policy frameworks

Coordinated and complementary policies at the local, national, regional and global level are essential to effectively address the multiple dimensions of environmental migration. This session highlighted capacity building initiatives which support governments in strengthening policy coherence at the national level. The session further reiterated the call for local capacity building and the role of local communities, civil society and the private sector in national policy processes.

The three present speakers (Mr Hasan Mahmud - State Minister for Environment and Forest, Bangladesh, Enrique Manalo – Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines, and Raquel Lejtreger – Main Advisor to the Minister, Ministry of Housing, Territory Planning and Environment, Uruguay) all stressed the extreme vulnerabilities of their countries to effects of climate change. Mr Mahmud presented the harsh realities of increased natural disasters Bangladesh is confronting. The Minister gave concrete examples of Bangladesh’s drastic situation, with island territories disappearing due to the rise in sea levels and the retraction of Glacier Mountains generating severe deficiencies in water resources. As an adaptation strategy many Bangladesh communities have been displaced, moving either to higher ground or migrating overseas. Mr Mahmud gave support for the IOM report “Assessing the Evidence: Environment, Climate Change and Migration in Bangladesh” previously mentioned in the first Sessions Dr. Frank Lazcko.

A key focus brought up in the session was the necessity for the international community to address and support national policies whereby collaboration may be established to improve employment policies. Although the minister noted the importance of local and community based capacity building as being vital in achieving effective social protection, emphasis was placed on the importance for the international community to consider global warming as a international problem demanding considerable burden-sharing (a point further supported by country  represents). This may even be in regards to devising cross-national policies considering migration as a positive tool to developing climate protection plan, as the “Assessing the Evidence: Environment, Climate Change and Migration in Bangladesh” states:

‘The Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan also notes the importance of international migration and sets out possible actions for strengthening it. Importantly in the context of environmental change, the benefits of international migration can extend well beyond direct financial transfers to include, among other things, the transfer of technology and knowledge, enabling people to strengthen and diversify their livelihoods and make them more sustainable.’ (IOM, 2010: 8)

The importance for international recognition of the threats posed by climate change was further iterated by the Ambassador for the Philippines, Mr Manalo, describing the consequences of climate change as non-traditional security threats. Primarily these threats where distinguished as involving food, energy, water, Human Rights trans-boundary menaces. The panellists called for a necessity to provide education, raising awareness and producing collective responsibility towards countries survivals. Minister Lejtreger called for a need to bring the private industry on to local platforms to further enhance social responsibility. A key focus during the session was the importance in considering migration as a positive adaptation strategy, facilitating both internal and overseas migration as a form of protection strategy to counter-act the impacts of global warming.  

Wrap-up and Closing Remarks

The IOM workshop identified major key areas which institutions and governments need to address to successful plan protection strategies for environmentally displaced migrants. It highlighted the multi-dimensional aspects of environmental migration demonstrating the phenomenon as demanding regional, international, legal and normative strategies.

The overarching demand from the workshop was a calling for further research into both the empirical basis of climate change and into the collateral effects it is having livelihoods, security, primary resources and people’s ability to devise local and sustainable protection schemes. The seminar put forward the concept that migration can either be considered as a challenge and a solution. In recognizing that it is generally the least well off that are unable to use migration as an adaption strategy. The panelists called for both regional and national strategies to be devised using migration as a positive tool in establishing pre-emptive strategies and emergency plans protecting and supporting the displacement of communities. Furthermore the importance of engaging directly on an economic and legal basis with local communities was highlighted in devising durable long-standing protection tools.

Although environmental migration is recognized as involving challenges such distinguishing forced migrants from voluntary migrants it is also recognized as offering a platform on which to build preventative protection plans, sustainable funding mechanisms (i.e: enhancing the use of remittances) and devising effective post-disaster recovery programs. The seminar offered practical lessons learnt from previous conventions, protocols and laws, calling for States to enact international cooperation protecting environment migrants. The workshop underlined the vulnerability of LDCs to environmentally induced migration, stressing a need for further data collection, strengthening of the legal framework and a multi-pronged approach in applying Human Rights, international and IDP migration laws.

Overall the workshop recognised the increasing disastrous effects which climate change (whether these are immediate or slow-onset degradation) is having on communities. Through case studies presented by country representative the seminar clearly and vividly demonstrated the challenges climate change is creating. However it also brought to light many adaptation strategies, such as major community relocation as a response to natural disasters and local capacity building tools tackling slow onset degradation (i.e side event project). The seminar highlighted the fact that although positive and useful steps are being taken and that there are already tools developed in a variety of fields which can be applied to evolving legislations and programs there still remains an essential need to institutional data collection, regional and country planning, the sharing of good practices and fundamentally the strengthening of local capacities and legal frameworks.


 
Bibliography:

IOM (Matthew Walsham), 2010, Assessing the Evidence: Environmental, Climate Change and Migration in Bangladesh.

IOM, 2009, Migration, Environment and Cliamte Change: Assessing the Evidence.

Koser, Khalid (2010), The Forum, Migration Character and Scope Economic Potential Regional Perspectives, Publication of Center for International Relations.