The terms ‘climate migration’ and ‘climate refugee’ are increasingly seen across headlines. Less clear is how, why, and to what extent the impacts of climate change actually drive migration and influence the experience of migrants and refugees. Scholars, scientists, and policymakers are working to disentangle the primary climate impacts, such as rising air temperatures and sea-levels, from the secondary climate impacts, including drought and agricultural pests, and traditional drivers of migration and displacement. In all corners of the world, environmental factors are found to drive or augment the dynamics of migration and immobility, such as internal migration in the Mekong Delta, displacement in Syria, immigration from Pacific Rim island states, relocation of remote Arctic communities, and seasonal migration patterns across North and Central America. Policymakers at the international stage are working with increasing urgency to address the growing risks and impacts of climate change on migrants and refugees who lack legal protection for climate-induced scenarios. While at the domestic and local-level, policymakers are just beginning to take notice of how climate change will cause substantial human displacement over the coming decades.
This call will explore the climate science and policy issues impacting migration, displacement, and relocation both domestically and internationally; address opportunities to support climate migrants and refugees, while also working to mitigate and adapt to climate change; and explore funder approaches to synthesizing services for immigrants and refugees with efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Speakers
- Maxine Burkett, Professor of Law(link is external), William S. Richardson School of Law(link is external), University of Hawai'i at Mānoa(link is external); Global Fellow(link is external), Wilson Center(link is external); and Member Scholar(link is external), Center for Progressive Reform(link is external)
- David Flores(link is external), Climate Adaptation Policy Analyst, Center for Progressive Reform(link is external)
- John Slocum, Independent Consultant and Visiting Researcher(link is external), CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs)(link is external)
Registration
Please register before COB Monday, August 7, 2017.
Calls are open to GCIR members, other grantmaking institutions, philanthropic advisors, and members and staff of funder affinity groups and regional associations of grantmakers. (Participation is limited to organizations that share GCIR’s core values.)
Details
There is no fee to participate. Please register by June 19th.
Event held in partnership with:
