Repository of Practices
Primary GCM Objectives
Secondary GCM Objectives
GCM Guiding Principles*
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Dates
Type of practice
Geographic scope
Geographic Scope:
Summary
The Environmental Migration Portal was developed in 2015 within the framework of the European Union-funded and IOM-led project “Migration, Environment and Climate Change: Evidence for Policy (MECLEP).” and has been revamped in 2019 and 2022 following the major policy developments. The Environmental Migration Portal is a unique source of information in the UN system and is still the only one of its kind at global level. Is an online knowledge sharing platform on migration, environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction that provides up-to-date information on key policy processes and developments, capacity building efforts, research and publications, and operational projects addressing the migration, environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction (MECR) nexus. The Portal highlights IOM’s efforts, including with partners, as both parties work together towards addressing one of the biggest challenges of our times, migration in the context of climate change, environmental degradation and disasters. As an evolving online information and knowledge sharing platform, the Environmental Migration Portal is a one-stop service website to promote new research, information exchange and dialogue, intended to fill the existing data, research and knowledge gaps on the migration, environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction nexus. The Portal aims to: (1) centralize relevant and up-to-date research, data, and information on migration, environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction; (2) provide information on recent activities of IOM, including with its partners, in addressing migration in the context of disaster, climate change and environmental degradation; (3) communicate on the links between migration, environment, climate change, disaster risk reduction and advocate for solutions for environmental migrants. The target audiences for the Portal are: - IOM Member States representatives - United Nations practitioners, including IOM staff - Academia and researchers - Media and communication outlets - Private sector partners - General public sensitive to issues of migration governance, climate change action, environmental protection, disaster risk reduction, refugee protection, humanitarian action and human rights
Benefit and Impact
Centralized Information: The Portal serves as a one-stop service website that centralizes relevant and up-to-date research, data, and information on migration, environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction. It helps policymakers, researchers, and practitioners access comprehensive and reliable resources on the MECR nexus.
Knowledge Sharing: As an evolving online platform, the Portal promotes knowledge sharing and information exchange. It bridges existing data and research gaps by disseminating the latest findings and policy developments related to environmental migration.
Policy Support: The Portal provides valuable insights into key policy processes and developments concerning the MECR nexus. It supports policymakers, including IOM Member States representatives and United Nations practitioners, in formulating evidence-based and effective policies.
Showcasing IOM Efforts: The Portal highlights IOM's efforts, both independently and in collaboration with partners, to address the challenges of migration in the context of environmental degradation, climate change and disasters. It offers visibility to operational projects and capacity-building efforts undertaken by IOM.
Facilitating Collaboration: The Portal serves as a platform for stakeholders from various sectors to come together and collaborate on MECR issues. It fosters partnerships between researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, promoting a holistic approach to address the challenges posed by climate-induced migration.
Timely Updates: With its focus on up-to-date information, the Portal keeps users informed about the latest developments and initiatives in the field of environmental migration. This ensures that stakeholders stay current with the evolving dynamics of the MECR nexus.
Key Lessons
Climate Change Accelerates Migration: Climate change is a significant driver of migration, with extreme weather events becoming more frequent and intense.
Lack of Consensus on Terminology: There is no universally accepted legal definition for environmental migration, resulting in various terms like climate migration, planned relocation, and disaster displacement. The lack of a standardized definition creates challenges for policy and legal frameworks.
Complexity of Environmental Migration: Environmental migration takes multiple forms, including forced and voluntary, temporary and permanent, internal and international, individual and collective, and of various distances. The context, duration, and scale of migration depend on slow-onset and sudden-onset events and their interactions with other factors.
Avoidance of Misleading Terms: Terms like "climate refugee" or "environmental refugee" lack legal basis and may undermine existing international refugee protection frameworks. The use of such terms is discouraged by concerned agencies, including IOM and UNHCR.
Human Rights Protection: Regardless of the terminology, all persons moving due to environmental drivers are protected by international human rights law. Focus on Vulnerability: While migration is one aspect of environmental change, addressing the needs of vulnerable populations who cannot or choose not to move (trapped populations) is equally important. Poverty, lack of resources, disability, and cultural attachment can prevent people from relocating despite environmental threats.
Recommendations(if the practice is to be replicated)
The 2018 Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration acknowledges the reality of migration due to environmental drivers and commits to supporting both migrants and affected states. Despite lacking a universally accepted legal definition, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) proposed a broad definition for environmental migration, recognizing its diverse forms and causes.
"Climate migration" is a subcategory of environmental migration, specifically referring to movements triggered by sudden or progressive environmental changes due to climate change. Other terms like "planned relocation" and "disaster displacement" focus on specific types of movements in the context of environmental degradation or natural hazards.
The term "human mobility" encompasses all forms of movement, including displacement, migration, and planned relocation due to environmental drivers. While terms like "climate refugee" and "environmental refugee" are often used to draw attention to the issue, they have no legal basis and might undermine the existing international legal framework for refugee protection. Instead, all persons moving due to environmental drivers are protected by international human rights law, and those displaced within their country due to disasters are covered by the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.
It is crucial to center responses to environmental migration around the concept of vulnerability. "Trapped populations" are groups who face threats but are unable or choose not to move due to various reasons like lack of resources, disability, cultural attachment, or gender-related issues. Addressing the needs of trapped populations is equally important in climate-induced migration.
To address these challenges effectively, international cooperation, policy frameworks, and support systems need to be strengthened. Efforts should focus on enhancing resilience, promoting sustainable development, providing assistance and protection to migrants, and addressing the root causes of environmental degradation and climate change.
Innovation
Additional Resources
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*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).