About the CLIMB database

Background

In 2018, States adopted the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), a historical non-binding international agreement proposing a common and comprehensive approach to the governance of international migration. The agreement includes specific commitments to address the drivers that compel people to leave their countries of origin in the context of disasters, the adverse effects of climate change, and environmental degradation, and to enhance the availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration, including in such contexts.  

In preparation for the 2022 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with generous financial support from the Federal Ministry of Germany on Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), launched a project to develop a baseline mapping of national and regional policies and practices relevant to addressing human mobility in the context of disasters, the adverse effects of climate change, and environmental degradation under the GCM. The project culminated in a set of indicators on the basis of which a baseline analysis report was developed (see here), an accompanying analytical framework, a global database of national and regional policies and a shorter infographic (see here), building on the GCM baseline mapping report. The project is part of the UN Network on Migration Workplan 2022-2024, specifically under the Workstream on Climate Change, the GCM and the Paris Agreement. 

Following the successful completion of the first phase of the project, PDD and IOM launched a second phase in October 2022, with the generous financial support of the Government of France, with the goal to enhance the GCM baseline analysis, publish the improved database initially developed in the first phase, and strengthen government capacities on the tool. In turn, these activities support States to prepare for the GCM regional reviews by providing a framework to facilitate input on their progress and priorities within their own regions in the area of human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change and environmental degradation. This work has also contributed to the development of the “limited set of indicators” for the overall GCM. 

This online platform emerges in this context. It focuses on policy and legal instruments and practices addressing human mobility in the context of the adverse effects of climate change, disasters, and environmental degradation. The tool provides a resource for policymakers as well as researchers, practitioners and other stakeholders working in the area of policy development on human mobility, disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation. Although the database uses the implementation of GCM commitments as a starting point, it can also be relevant in relation to other key global policy frameworks in this area (e.g. the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Sendai Framework).  

The database should be considered as a living repository, regularly updated as national and regional policy review efforts progress. If you have data to contribute, please tell us using our ​​data contribution form here.

Explore the database

Given the complex and multi-causal nature of population movements in the context of disasters, the adverse effects of climate change and environmental degradation, the database looks at policy and legal instruments and practices across a range of different fields, including human mobility, disaster risk management, climate change action, and sustainable development. The data collection process involved the review of existing relevant mapping exercises and secondary literature, as well as primary sources of information. All the relevant instruments and practices identified during this process were systematically recorded into a single centralised global database, along with information about some of their key characteristics. To facilitate future comparative analysis over time, all instruments with direct or indirect relevant provisions were recorded in the database, regardless of their date of publication and status of validity. More importantly, the database of national and regional policies was built upon the analytical framework (to be published) under the GCM Baseline Mapping project.

The data collection process primarily focused on national-level legislation (for example, laws, decrees, acts, resolutions, regulations, agreements) and policies (for example, policies, action plans, strategies, frameworks, National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)). Regional and bilateral instruments were also identified and reviewed. 

Instruments were reviewed across four main policy sectors, broadly grouped as: Human Mobility (e.g. migration, displacement, evacuation, planned relocation, refugee protection, resettlement, reintegration); Disasters (e.g. humanitarian assistance, disaster preparedness, disaster response, disaster risk reduction); Climate Change (e.g. climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation); and Sustainable Development (e.g. environmental/ ecosystem management, integrated coastal zone management, land management, urban/rural planning, development, poverty reduction, food and agriculture, public health, education, gender equality, social justice).

Markers to measure integration of GCM Principles in identified documents

Human Rights Marker:

• Significant integration of human rights in the instrument (A): is assigned if the instrument includes provisions in at least 2 of the following categories: (i) Substantive rights:; (ii) Procedural rights; and (iii) Governance and accountability mechanisms.
• Partial integration of human rights in the instrument (B): is assigned if the instrument includes a mention of human rights (e.g. the instrument recognizes the importance of human rights, or includes some provisions supporting the protection of specific substantive rights).
• No integration of human rights in the instrument (C): is assigned if there is no mention of human rights or related provisions in the instrument.

Gender Marker:

• Significant integration of gender in the instrument (A): is assigned if the instrument includes provisions in at least 3 of the following categories: (i) Welfare: and the basic needs of women, men, girls and boys, including those identifying as LGBTQI; (ii) Access: t equality of opportunities for women, men, girls, and boys, including those identifying as LGBTQI; (iii) Participation: access to information and for the participation of women and girls in decision-making; (iv) Governance and accountability mechanisms for the implementation of gender equality commitments.
• Partial integration of gender in the instrument (B): is assigned if the instrument includes a mention of gender (e.g. the instrument recognizes the importance of gender equality).
• No integration of gender in the instrument (C): is assigned if there is no mention of gender in the instrument.

Child Sensitivity Marker:

• Significant integration of child sensitivity in the instrument (A): is assigned if the instrument includes provisions in at least 2 of the following categories: (i) Recognition of the needs and rights of boys and girls under 18; (ii) provisions for access to information and for the participation of boys and girls under 18 in decision-making; (iii) governance and accountability mechanisms for the protection of boys and girls under 18 (institutions and mechanisms ensuring access to legal protection and/or social and child protection services; monitoring and accountability means.
• Partial integration of child sensitivity in the instrument (B): is assigned if the instrument includes a mention of child rights or needs (e.g. the instrument recognizes the importance to uphold the rights and address the needs of boys and girls under 18).
• No integration of child sensitivity in the instrument (C): is assigned if there is no mention of child rights and needs in the instrument.
   

'Not available' indicates that the information from the policy document included in the database came from a secondary information source, and for this reason the information on the marker is not available.

A number of past mapping exercises and secondary sources published by intergovernmental actors, international organizations, non-governmental actors, and academics specialising in the areas of migration, displacement, disasters, climate change and environmental degradation were examined. These included the Nansen Initiative regional consultations’ background and technical papers and volume II of the Nansen Initiative Protection Agenda; The Atlas of Environmental Migration; outputs under relevant activities of first phase of implementation of the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) Task Force on Displacement; the PDD baseline mapping of disaster risk reduction strategies integrating human mobility concerns; IOM’s country and regional policy reviews on migration, environment and climate change; the set of studies on planned relocation in the context of hazards and climate change produced by PDD, Kaldor Centre, IOM and GIZ; the SLYCAN Trust Briefing Notes on Human Mobility in Nationally Determined Contributions; regional reports published in relation to the 2020-2021 GCM Regional Review Process, as well as academic literature providing country, regional and global reviews of national and regional policy and legal instruments of relevance. 

Moreover, a number of global online policy and law databases were consulted to identify more recent national policies and legislation. These included the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) RefWorld database; the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction’s (UNDRR) PreventionWeb Knowledge Base; the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Disaster Law Database; International Labor’s Organization (ILO) NATLEX database; Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) FAOLEX database, UNFCCC’s NDC Interim Registry and NAP Central, and the Climate Change Laws of the World database of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and Environment (London School of Economics). For some countries, where available, national policy and legislation repositories were also consulted. Whenever available, the identification and review of primary sources was preceded by a review of country policy profiles such as the IOM Migration Governance Profiles; submissions from diverse stakeholders to the Human Rights Committee and the national voluntary submissions to the GCM regional review processes. Websites of relevant regional organizations were also consulted at times to identify instruments and tools to inform regional-level indicators.

• The data collection process prioritized actions and instruments developed by or with the participation of States, and specifically those for which information could be collected more easily based on available sources. Evidence of practices, such as ad hoc measures, programmes, initiatives, could not be collected systematically and could only be included for a limited number of countries for which such information was readily available from secondary sources. 
• The database does not include a comprehensive, exhaustive review of all existing and relevant national policies in every country, which would require additional resources and more extended access to documents and consultations with relevant national stakeholders. It includes only those available and relevant to the topics mentioned above.  
• The overall research focused on documents readily available on selected public online platforms or through secondary sources, and on documents available in the languages accessible to the research team (English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian).  

This online platform presents information about several forms of population movements in the context of disasters, climate change and environmental degradation, including migration, displacement, evacuations and planned relocation, which are referred to in the objectives and paragraphs of the GCM addressing issues related to environmental drivers. 

The use of these terms is in line with the terminology used in key international and intergovernmental processes and documents addressing these issues, including the IOM Glossary on Migration¹, Nansen Initiative Protection Agenda², the Cancun Adaptation Framework and decisions and documents related to the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage under the UNFCCC³, the 2016 New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants⁴, and the work of intergovernmental organisations such as IOM⁵, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)⁶ and others.  

For further information, see the FAQs below, section 3, "The distinct dimensions of human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change and environmental degradation".

¹See: https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/iml_34_glossary.pdf
²The Nansen Initiative. (2015). Agenda for the Protection of Cross -Border Displaced Persons in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change. Volume I and II. Geneva, The Nansen Initiative.
³UNFCCC. (2010). Decision 1/CP.16 The Cancun Agreements: Outcome of the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention, FCCC/CP/2010/7/Add.1, para 14.(f); UNFCCC. (2019). Decision 10/CP.24 Report of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts, FCCC/CP/2018/10/Add.1, Annex, para 1.(c).
⁴United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). (2016). New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, Resolution 71/1 of 19 September 2019, A/RES/71/1, para 3.
⁵IOM. (2021). Institutional Strategy on Migration, Environment and Climate Change 2021-2030. Geneva, IOM, Annex 4, p. 37-39.
⁶OHCHR. (2018). The slow onset effects of climate change and human rights protection for cross-border migrants. UN Doc. A/HRC/37/CRP.4. Geneva, OHCHR.

The project “Baseline Mapping on the Implementation of Commitments related to Addressing Human Mobility Challenges in Disaster and Climate Change Contexts under the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM)” is implemented by PDD and IOM and funded by the Federal Ministry of Germany on Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Government of France. 

Phase I of the project resulted in a set of indicators on the basis of which a baseline analysis report was developed, an accompanying analytical framework, a global database of national and regional policies and a shorter infographic building on the GCM baseline mapping report. The dataset with the overall basis for the mapping of national and regional legal and policy instruments of relevance to the commitments under the GCM related to human mobility challenges in disaster and climate change contexts was prepared by Daria Mokhnacheva, independent consultant. Data collection was conducted with the support of experts on the topic: Diogo Andreolla Serraglio, research analyst at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK, Germany), and Fernanda de Salles Cavedon-Capdeville, independent consultant and research member of the South American Network for Environmental Migrations (RESAMA, Brazil).  

Phase II of the project aimed at enhancing the GCM baseline analysis, publishing the improved database initially developed in the previous phase, and strengthening the capacity of governments on the tool. These outputs were prepared by Diogo Andreolla Serraglio (PIK, Germany), Fernanda de Salles Cavedon-Capdeville (RESAMA, Brazil), Giulia Mancini Pinheiro, independent consultant and research-member of RESAMA (Brazil), and Lilian Yamamoto (RESAMA and University of Sao Paulo, Brazil), under the supervision of Ileana Sinziana Puscas (IOM) and Timo Schmidt (PDD). The online database was designed and implemented by the IOM team supporting the Migration Network Hub, namely: Baris Yalcinkaya, Bethany Donithorn, Guillermo Cereza, Kerry-Lynn Maze, Muhammad Omar Farooq and So Young Chang and Florence Kim (UN Network on Migration secretariat).

The project is part of the UN Network on Migration Workplan 2022-2024, specifically under the Workstream on Climate Change, the GCM and the Paris Agreement.

Navigating the Database: 

1. How to use this resource?

This tool can be used to search references and/or provisions on the distinct dimensions of human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change, and/or environmental degradation of over 1,578 policies and legal frameworks addressing migration, disaster management, climate change, sustainable development and other instruments of relevance.
 

2. What is the CLIMB Database: Human Mobility in the Context of Disasters, Climate Change and Environmental Degradation Database?

The CLIMB Database covers national- and regional-level policies and legal frameworks addressing policy areas directly relevant to the distinct dimensions of human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change, and/or environmental degradation. More precisely, the tool provides a resource for policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders working in the area of policy development on human mobility, disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation. Although the database uses the implementation of GCM commitments as a starting point, it can also be relevant in relation to other key global policy frameworks in this area (e.g. UNFCCC, Sendai Framework).  

As of September 2023, the database includes 1,578 policies and legal instruments distributed in 172 countries and territories, encompassing, among others, policy documents (e.g. action plans, frameworks, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), policies, strategies, etc.), legislation (e.g. acts, agreements, decrees, laws, regulations, resolutions, etc.), as well as other instruments (e.g. dialogues, declarations, guidelines, mechanisms, white papers, studies, reports, programmes, projects, National Communications (NCs), etc.). For more information, please visit our Methodology section above.  

The database originates from a collaboration between the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with generous financial support from the Federal Ministry of Germany on Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Government of France, on a project to develop a baseline mapping of national and regional policies and practices relevant to addressing human mobility in the context of disasters, the adverse effects of climate change and environmental degradation under the GCM.
 

3. What can I do with the database?

The CLIMB Database enables you to: 

• Find existing policies and legal frameworks from 172 countries and territories with references and/or provisions to the distinct dimensions of human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change, and/or environmental degradation; 
• Find full quotes (both in English and in the original languages) of references and/or provisions related to the distinct dimensions of human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change, and/or environmental degradation; 
• Search for keywords across national- and regional-level policies and legal instruments; 
• Browse country profiles to find and correlate their existing policies and legal instruments with acknowledgements and/or provisions on the topic; and 
• Access the original document, when a link is available. 
   

4. How up-to-date is the data?

The data is up-to-date as of August 2023. New data, as well as updates to existing data, will be collected in the next phases of the project, “Implementing the Commitments Related to Addressing Human Mobility in the Context of Disasters, Climate Change and Environmental Degradation - A Baseline Analysis Report Under the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration”. The database is updated every six months with any new documents.
 

5. How many policies and legal frameworks are available in our database?

As of September 2023, the database includes 1,578 policies and legal frameworks addressing human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change, and/or environmental degradation in 172 countries and territories, including 230 regional policies and legal instruments (including sub-regional documents) across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
 

6. What are the limitations of our database?

The database is not exhaustive. For more information, please visit the above section ‘Methodology’, sub-section ‘Limitations’. 
 

7. I have spotted a bug, how do I report it?

You can get in touch with the support team here. We appreciate you taking the time to do this! 
 

8. I think you are missing some data, how do I tell you about it?

We would love to hear about this! Please tell us using our ​​data contribution form here.

 

Conceptual questions and terminology: 

1. Key notes on the Project “Implementing the Commitments Related to Addressing Human Mobility in the Context of Disasters, Climate Change and Environmental Degradation – A Baseline Analysis Report Under the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration”:

How did the project start? 

The project was a direct output of the United Nations Network on Migration (UNMN) Work Plan (2021-2022), under Thematic Priority 4 on Climate Change and Migration, and an activity of the Platform for Disaster Displacement (PDD) Work Plan for the period of 2019-2022 and an activity of the IOM’s implementation programme of its Strategy on Migration, Environment and Climate Change 2021-2030. It was launched with a view towards preparing for the 2022 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) and providing input to the intergovernmentally agreed Progress Declaration. The project aimed to take stock of the implementation of the commitments and objectives of the 2018 Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM) related to human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation. 

What is the scope of the project? 

When the project started in September 2021, the GCM did not include global-wide, agreed-upon targets, indicators or a monitoring framework to measure its implementation progress. The reporting and review of the GCM’s implementation at the national level are voluntary, and mostly based on the elaboration of national implementation plans. Without clear indicators and targets in place for States to report back on specific GCM objectives, assessing the progress in the employment of the provisions associated with the distinct dimensions of human mobility in the context of disasters, the adverse effects of climate change and environmental degradation remains a challenge.

Due to the lack of a monitoring system, Phase I of the project developed a tool consisting of an indicators-based analytical framework, a global database of national and regional policies and legal frameworks, an analysis report containing a detailed review of 21 countries, as well as a shorter document with ten key insights from the GCM baseline mapping report.* Following the successful completion of the first phase of the project, a second phase (Phase II) was launched in October 2022 with the goal to enhance the GCM baseline analysis (including a detailed review of an extra 31 countries, for a total of 52 countries), publish the improved database initially developed in the first phase, and strengthen the capacities of governments to use the tool. In turn, these activities support States to prepare for the GCM regional reviews by providing a framework to facilitate input on their progress and priorities within their own regions in the area of human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change and environmental degradation. This work has also contributed to the process to develop of a “limited set of indicators” for the overall GCM. 

*For details, see Mokhnacheva, D. (2022).

2. Relevance of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM)

What is the GCM? 

The GCM is the first-ever intergovernmentally negotiated UN agreement on a common approach to managing international migration. This framework on international migration was built upon a common terminology for discussing key migration issues and a blueprint for comprehensive, rights-based migration policies. The 23 objectives established under the GCM cover all aspects of migration with a variety of possible actions, drawn from best practices that States may choose to implement their national migration policies. While not legally binding, the GCM’s guiding principles, objectives, commitments and actions find their root in established obligations and principles, underpinned by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and International Law (see here). 

Why is the GCM relevant to human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation? 

The agreement includes specific commitments to address the environmental drivers and structural factors that compel people to leave their country of origin, as well as to enhance the availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration, including in such contexts (e.g. the adverse impacts of disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation).  

What objectives and actions of the GCM are relevant to human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation?  

Four objectives are key for addressing human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation. These are: (i) Objective 02 - “Minimise the adverse drivers and structural factors that compel people to leave their country of origin”; (ii) Objective 05 - “Enhance availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration”; and to a lesser extent (iii) Objective 21 - “Cooperate in facilitating safe and dignified return and readmission, as well as sustainable reintegration”; and (iv) Objective 23 - “Strengthen international cooperation and global partnerships for safe, orderly, and regular migration”.
 

3. Human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation

How to define human mobility in the context of climate change, disasters, and environmental degradation?  

In line with key international and intergovernmental processes and documents (see Definition of Terms), this database considers “human mobility” as an umbrella term designating three main forms of population movement in the context of the environmental drivers, namely migration, displacement and planned relocation. In this context, migration is understood as a predominantly voluntary movement of persons; displacement refers to primarily forced movement of people, (whether short-term or protracted), which can include spontaneous flight, or evacuations or relocation; and planned relocation refers to a planned process in which persons or groups of persons move or are assisted to move to a new location. These movements may take place both within countries as well as across international borders. 

 

Learn more on terminology here

Contact the team

If you've spotted a bug, you can report it to the support team here. If you think we are missing some data, please tell us using our ​​data contribution form here.