Climate change multiplying risk of displacement, migration
Bangladesh government, International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) yesterday jointly called for more global action to address climate-induced migration and displacement.
At a side-event during the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh of Egypt, the participants recognised that climate change is a risk multiplier for displacement and migration. Millions of people throughout the world will be impacted by climate-induced displacement unless immediate action is taken, said a press release issued by IOM Bangladesh.
The parties called for collective action to minimise mass migration and displacement due to climate change, read the release.
Participants also noted that concerted action on climate change mitigation and adaptation with inclusive development policies, and embedding climate migration in policy and planning will help address some challenges surrounding climate migration.
Jointly organised by Bangladesh government, IOM and CVF, the event was on "Human Mobility in the Context of Climate Change: Building a Positive Narrative on Migration and Climate Action".
According to Global Report on Internal Displacement 2021, 216 million people could become internal climate migrants by 2050, said the IOM release.
With a population of 165 million and high susceptibility to flooding, storm surges, riverbank erosion and salination, Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to the adverse effects of climate change, it adds.
Bangladesh is also at the forefront of climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction and management efforts, as well as consensus building through different regional and global forums and platforms.
Speaking at the event, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen noted that climate change drives migration and displacement. "The global community must recall that the Paris Agreement acknowledged that climate change is a threat to millions of people, and vulnerable countries must be taken into account."
Ugochi Daniels, IOM's deputy director general for operations, stressed the growing link between human mobility and climate change.
She emphasised that international cooperation and collective action are preconditions to managing mobility and ensuring that migration remains a choice and not a necessity.
Alfred Okot Okidi, permanent secretary, Ministry of Water and Environment of Republic of Uganda, joined virtually and highlighted the pertinent points from the Kampala Declaration on displacement.
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