Environmental Migration and Refugee Problems: Mitigation, Adaptation, and Management

This presentation provides an overview of environmental migration, exploring its causes, the global scale of the problem, and the legal challenges faced by environmental migrants. It highlights mitigation strategies aimed at reducing environmental impacts and adaptation efforts to build resilience in affected communities. The presentation also covers management approaches, including international cooperation and national policies, while discussing challenges such as funding gaps and legal protection. Case studies from Bangladesh, Pacific Island nations, and Sub-Saharan Africa illustrate real-world examples. Lastly, the role of technology in early warning systems and climate adaptation is emphasized, followed by a call for inclusive, long-term solutions.

1. Environmental Migration & Refugee Problem 1 Migration and Refugee Management | GEE 0314 5111

2. Mashrup Hasan | 2022125009 MS 1 st Semester | 2022-23 Session 2

3. What is Environmental Migration? Environmental migration is a type of migration in which migrants choose or are forced to leave their homes due to sudden or progressive changes in the environment . 3

4. Who Are Environmental Migrants? Environmental migrants are persons or groups of persons who, predominantly for 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 , 2007:33). 4

5. Who Are Climate Refugees? Climate refugees are people who must leave their homes and communities because of the effects of climate change and global warming. Climate refugees belong to a larger group of immigrants known as environmental refugees. 5

6. Key Influencers of Environmental Migration 6 Slow-onset events Sudden-onset events

7. Persons displaced due to natural disasters, 2008-2017 7 Source: IDMC, www.internal-displacement.org

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9. Displaced persons by type of natural disaster, 2008-2016 The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) calculates its estimates of internal displacements caused by natural disasters from many different sources (government authorities, international organizations, NGOs, the media, etc.). Although droughts are not included, floods appear to be the prime cause of displacement linked to global disasters between 2008 and 2016, followed by storms and then earthquakes. 9 Source: IDMC, www.internal-displacement.org

10. Problems faced by environmental migrants as well as Climate refugees 10

11. Problems faced by environmental migrants as well as Climate refugees 11

12. Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Implement global policies to curb emissions and slow down climate change impacts that trigger migration. The European Union's Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), the world's largest carbon market, caps greenhouse gas emissions from over 11,000 power stations and industrial plants in 30 countries, incentivizing companies to reduce emissions by allowing them to trade carbon credits. 12 Mitigation Measures :

13. Climate Finance for Vulnerable Countries : Provide financial support for low-income nations to implement climate mitigation strategies and build resilience. The Green Climate Fund (GCF), created under the UNFCCC, mobilizes climate finance to support mitigation and adaptation initiatives in developing countries. 13 Mitigation Measures :

14. Global Climate Agreements: Strengthen international climate agreements (e.g., Paris Agreement) to ensure collective action on reducing global warming. The Paris Agreement (2015) is an international treaty under the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) aimed at limiting global warming to well below 2°C, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. 14 Mitigation Measures :

15. Sustainable Land Use Practices: Implement policies to prevent deforestation, desertification, and overexploitation of resources, reducing climate-driven displacement. The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) promotes sustainable land management practices to prevent desertification and land degradation, especially in Africa and Asia. 15 Mitigation Measures :

16. Adaptation Measures: Resilient Infrastructure Development : Build climate-resilient infrastructure like flood defenses, drought-resistant agriculture, and sustainable water management systems. The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), led by the World Bank, helps countries build climate-resilient infrastructure to withstand floods, storms, and other extreme weather events. 16 Figure: Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Before Flood During Flood

17. Adaptation Measures: Relocation Planning for At-Risk Communities : Develop national policies for planned relocation of communities most vulnerable to climate impacts, ensuring dignified resettlement. Example: The government of Kiribati has implemented the "Migration with Dignity" policy, planning for the gradual relocation of its citizens due to rising sea levels. 17

18. Adaptation Measures: Ecosystem-Based Adaptation : Use natural solutions like reforestation, wetland restoration, and coastal mangroves to buffer the effects of climate change. Example: Mangrove restoration projects supported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in coastal areas like Bangladesh protect shorelines from storm surges and rising sea levels. 18

19. Adaptation Measures: Education and Capacity Building : Empower local communities with knowledge and tools to adapt to climate change, improving their resilience and reducing the need for migration. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) runs various capacity-building programs for communities in vulnerable regions, such as the Africa Adaptation Initiative. 19

20. Legal Recognition of Climate Refugees : Establish international legal frameworks that recognize climate refugees, granting them rights and protections similar to political refugees. Although climate refugees are not officially recognized under current refugee law, discussions at the UNHCR’s Global Refugee Forum (GRF) aim to address the growing need for legal frameworks to protect climate-induced displaced persons. 20 Management Measures:

21. Bilateral and Regional Agreements: Foster cooperation between countries to manage cross-border climate migration through bilateral and regional agreements. The Nansen Initiative, a state-led consultative process, developed the Protection Agenda, which provides guidance to countries on protecting displaced persons in the context of natural disasters and climate change, with support from the IOM (International Organization for Migration). 21 Management Measures:

22. Early Warning and Monitoring Systems: Use technology like remote sensing and GIS to monitor climate risks and provide early warnings to communities at risk of displacement. Example: The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), created by the USAID, provides early warnings about food insecurity caused by climate-related events in vulnerable regions, helping to mitigate displacement. 22 Management Measures:

23. 23 Case Study: Environmental Migration Management in Bangladesh

24. References Environmental Migration | IOM, UN Migration | Environmental Migration Portal. ( n.d .). https://environmentalmigration.iom.int/environmental-migration Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2014). Climate change 2014: Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Part A: Global and sectoral aspects. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415379 Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). (2020). Global report on internal displacement 2020. https://www.internal-displacement.org/global-report/grid2020/ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (2019). Climate change and disaster displacement. https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/climate-change-and-disasters.html Bangladesh Ministry of Environment and Forests. (2009). Bangladesh climate change strategy and action plan 2009. Government of Bangladesh. https://mofe.gov.bd McLeman , R. A., & Smit, B. (2006). Migration as an adaptation to climate change. Climatic Change, 76(1-2), 31-53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-005-9000-7 International Organization for Migration (IOM). (2019). World migration report 2020. https://www.iom.int/wmr/chapter-9 24

25. Thank you. 25