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Opening Session: Luis Planas EESC Secretary General #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Session 1: The upcoming challenge of climate migration Moderator: Stella Brozek-Everaert (Administrator, NAT Section, EESC) #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
The issue of climate migration; Facts and Figures Jo de Backer (EU Policy and Liaison Officer, IOM) #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
International Organization for Migration Migration as an adaptation strategy to climate change 25 January 2016 Jo De Backer IOM Regional Office Brussels jdebacker@iom.int 5
The Migration-Environment Nexus The gravest effects of climate change may be those on human migration. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 1990
Challenge of data [IDMC, 2015] An average of 26,4 million people each year between 2008-2013 displaced by disasters [IDMC Global Estimates 2015] over 19,3 million people in 100 countries were newly displaced by disasters in 2014 [IDMC 2015] Developing countries are consistently the worst affected & accounting for 91% in 2014 of displacement by disasters
Climate migrants, environmental migrants? A Working Definition, IOM 2007 Environmental migrantsare persons or groups of persons who, for compelling 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 s main objectives i. To prevent forced migration resulting from environmental factors through preparedness and disaster risk reduction ii. To provide assistance and protection to affected populations and seek durable solutions where forced migration does occur iii. To facilitate migration as an adaptation strategy to climate change.
IOM s key messages 1. Multicausal and multidimensional problem 2. Giving a human face to the climate change debate 3. Human mobility as a barometer of resilience and vulnerability 4. Migration as an adaptation option
Migration, Environment and Climate Change IOM s activities & work q Research q Advocacy q Policy dialogue and guidance on policies and practices q Capacity Building q Partnerships and cooperation q Communication and information sharing q Operational activities
Framing a complex issue Human Mobility Migration Displacement Planned Relocation Voluntary - Forced Internal Cross border Temporary - Permanent 12
Migration as Adaptation Migration can: John Vink/ Magnum Photos for IOM - MKH0197 èmigration is one possible adaptation strategy - Reduce population pressure on fragile ecosystems - Save lives in case of disasters - Strengthen livelihoods through income diversification via remittances and the transfer of knowledge and skills 13
Where is migration in the UNFCCC? Cancún Adaptation Framework (CAF) COP 16, 2010 Measures to enhance understanding, coordination and cooperation with regard to climate chance induced displacement, migration and planned relocation, where appropriate, at the national, regional and international levels. 14 f (Section II, Cancún Agreement)
Where is migration in the UNFCCC? Doha Decision on Loss and Damage, COP 18, 2012 Acknowledges the further work to advance the understanding of and expertise on loss and damage, which includes, inter alia, the following: Enhancing the understanding of How impacts of climate change are affecting patterns of migration, displacement and human mobility. 2012, Paragraph 7 (a) (vi)
Human Mobility and UNFCCC COP 21 Paris Agreement: A Stepping Stone for Climate Migrants 16
Human Mobility and UNFCCC In the UNFCCC process: the NAP entry point Because the national adaptation planning process provides a comprehensive assessments of development needs in relation to climate Integrating migration into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) NAPS can address migration in two ways: 1. Through adaptation plans to reduce the pressure of migration and avoid displacement and the need for planned relocation 2. Through adaptation plans that envision migration as an adaptation strategy 17
Adaptation and NAP Concrete action: Providing policy relevant evidence and research IOM - Migration, Environment and Climate Change: Evidence for Policy (MECLEP) Project Duration: 3 years (January 2014 December 2016) Budget: 2.4 million Euros
MECLEP: Three Components to find policy answers Research Capacity Building Dialogue How can migration, displacement and relocation enhance or impede efforts to adapt to climate change? ü ü Migration as determinant of vulnerability: does it increase adaptive capacity or hinder it? What policies can be facilitated?
Environmental Migration Portal http://environmentalmigration.iom.int/ Follow us @IOM_MECC For more information on the MECLEP project, please visit: www.iom.int/meclep
Jo de Backer Statement Migration should be seen as a successful adaptation strategy rather than a failure to adapt to a changing environment #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Climate diplomacy: The COP21 outcome & the link of climate & security Pascal Delisle (Adviser for Climate Change, EEAS) #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Pascal Delisle Statement Without effective global climate change mitigation and adaptation, a sustainable solution to climate migration becomes unlikely for the EU #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
The international gap in protection for climate migrants Annabelle Roig Granjon (Senior EU Advisor, UNHCR) #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Annabelle Roig Granjon Statement The Geneva Convention defines a refugee as someone with 'a wellfounded fear of persecution' on the basis of one of five grounds: race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, and political opinion. While climate change does, and will increasingly, contribute to forced migration across borders, it does not constitute a ground for granting refugee status under international law. Rather than amending the Convention or designing a new legal instrument, climate migrants will need to be protected within existing frameworksand good practices #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Climate Migration; a youth perspective Charlotte Blondel (Student, Climate Refugees, CLIMates) #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
A YOUTH PERSPECTIVE ON CLIMATE MIGRATION Charlotte BLONDEL, Law Student, Sciences Po Paris CliMates
INTRODUCTION WHAT S CLIMATES? An international NGO born in France in 2011. An international actor on the international stage - Representatives at international events: COP21, Bonn... - Member of YOUNGO A voice for the Youth in international negotiations.
AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF YOUNG ADVOCATES @CliMates
1.WHAT ROLE FOR THE YOUTH IN THE CLIMATE MIGRATION DEBATE? A. UNDERSTANDING OUR RESPONSIBILITY Numbers and facts - A global need for adaptation : the challenge of the next generation. - Between 250 millions and 1 billion environmental migrants in 2050. Interests and legitimacy
1.WHAT ROLE FOR THE YOUTH IN THE CLIMATE MIGRATION DEBATE? B. YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR CLIMATE MIGRANTS: INITIATIVES AT A GLOBAL LEVEL. From a political perspective
1.WHAT ROLE FOR THE YOUTH IN THE CLIMATE MIGRATION DEBATE? B. YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR CLIMATE MIGRANTS: INITIATIVES AT A GLOBAL LEVEL. From a local perspective: - CliMates research projects: focus on local experiences. @ ENN - the importance of partnerships between Youth organizations.
2. YOUTH PERSPECTIVE ON THE CLIMATE MIGRATION ISSUE : A NEED FOR EDUCATION & SOLIDARITY A. EDUCATION AT EVERY LEVEL: FOR A GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING Why is education on the matter so important? - For the most vulnerable people : understanding as a prerequisite for advocacy. - Around the world: understanding as a prerequisite for action. Education, Youth and creativity : advocating tools. - Media campaigns, social media and creative ideas.
2. YOUTH PERPECTIVE ON THE CLIMATE MIGRATION ISSUE : A NEED FOR EDUCATION & SOLIDARITY B. YOUNG & DISPLACED : A PARTICULAR APPROACH A youth-to-youth approach: similarities and solidarity Specific experiences, specific needs, specific solutions
CONCLUSION DRAWING A PARALLEL: PATHS TO THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE Youth on the international stage/ Environmental migrants, actors of the negotiations? WHY? WHAT? HOW?
Charlotte Blondel Statement The Youth are the most able to understand and address the issue of environmental migration: they have to get informed and involved as early as today if we want to change things in the coming years #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Opinion Poll on the statements A. Jo de Backer: Migration should be seen as a successful adaptation strategy rather than a failure to adapt to a changing environment B. Pascal Delisle: Without effective global climate change mitigation and adaptation, a sustainable solution to climate migration becomes unlikely for the EU C. Annabelle Roig Granjon: (.). While climate change does, and will increasingly, contribute to forced migration across borders, it does not constitute a ground for granting refugee status under international law. Rather than amending the Geneva Convention or designing a new legal instrument, climate migrants willneed to be protected within existing frameworks and good practices D. Charlotte Blondel: The Youth are the most able to understand and address the issue of environmental migration: they have to get informed and involved as early as today if we want to change things in the coming years #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
COFFEE BREAK 15:30-15:45 Follow us Live on Twitter @EESC_SDO #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Session 2: The challenge for the EU to deal with climate migrants Moderator: Jean-François Bence (Director for Legislative Works C, EESC) #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
VIDEO #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
The European Commission's approach to climate migration Etienne Coyette (Policy Officer, DG DEVCO, European Commission) #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Etienne Coyette Statement Development cooperation should increasingly focus on building climate change resilience #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
The role of civil society in climate migration Brenda King (President, Sustainable Development Observatory, EESC) #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Brenda King Statement Expecting climate migration to be unavoidable, governments and civil society need to take action jointly to prepare the integration of displaced people into society for the benefit of all #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
The challenge of climate migration to the EU Jean Lambert (MEP, The Greens, European Parliament) #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Jean Lambert Statement The reasons for which people choose to move are complex to unpick but some of the current refugee flows we are witnessing may be linked to environmental factors. The EU must act now with a multifaceted approach both in countries of origin and affected regions by assisting with mitigation and adaptation, and in the EU itself, which will not avoid the impacts of climate change. The EU also needs to face up to the challenge of increased migration flows by offering more possibilities for legal migration and by developinga real circular migration framework. #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Opinion Poll on the statements A. Etienne Coyette: Development cooperation should increasingly focus on building climate change resilience B. Brenda King: Expecting climate migration to be unavoidable, governments and civil society need to take action jointly to prepare the integration of displaced people into society for the benefit of all C. Jean Lambert: The reasons for which people choose to move are complex to unpick but some of the current refugee flows we are witnessing may be linked to environmental factors. The EU must act now with a multifaceted approach both in countries of origin and affected regions by assisting with mitigation and adaptation, and in the EU itself, which will not avoid the impacts of climate change. The EU also needs to face up to the challenge of increased migration flows by offering more possibilities for legal migration and by developing a real circular migration framework. #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
Concluding Remarks Koen Berentsen Organizer of the conference, EESC #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees
VIDEO #EESClimate #Migrants #EUtrainees