May 2012: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has published the proceedings of its 2011 annual International Dialogue, which was dedicated to ‘The Future of Migration: Building Capacities for Change,” and included a workshop on “Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and Migration,” which met in Geneva, Switzerland, from 29-30 March 2011.

The workshop identified some of the main areas in which governments and institutions may need to reinforce their capacities to manage the complex interactions between climate change and environmental degradation and human mobility. The workshop aimed to discuss a comprehensive approach to managing environmental migration to minimize forced migration resulting from climate change and environmental factors; and to ensure assistance and protection for those affected, with sustainable solutions; and to facilitate the role of migration as a potential adaptation strategy to climate change.

In this respect, the workshop attempted to clarify the terminology related to environmental migration with participants agreeing that ‘environmental refugee’ or ‘climate change refugee’ is inappropriate due to the specific meaning of ‘refugee’ in international law. Participants noted the need to systematize existing legal tools to facilitate positive migration and protect those in need at the national and regional levels. For instance, New Zealand has established the Pacific Access Category as a regional migration strategy for labour migrants from neighbouring Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Kiribati, Tuvalu and Tonga. Although environmental or climate change were not factors taken into account in the development of this policy, existing migration schemes such as this can indirectly support adaptation efforts in developing countries and countries vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

More specifically, the workshop focused on four areas including the need to expand the knowledge base on environmental migration by investing in strategic, policy-relevant research and data collection; design and implement solid legal and institutional frameworks to ensure the protection of those on the move for environmental reasons; build comprehensive migration management policies to tackle the multifaceted impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on human mobility; and strengthen technical and operational capacities to support vulnerable populations and promote effective migration management in the context of environmental change and natural disasters.

Based on the discussions during the workshop, a number of future activities were proposed to build the capacities of countries to manage the consequences of migration due to climate change and environmental degradation, including building knowledge and improving data collection, clarifying the terminology on environmental migration; strengthening policy, institutional, administrative and legal Frameworks; and reinforcing operational and technical capacities [Publication: Climate Change, Environmental Degradation, and Migration, International Dialogue on Migration, IOM, 2012]