Climate Change, Disasters and Human Mobility in South Asia and Indian

Ocean: The Nansen Initiative

Prof. Walter Kälin, Envoy of the Chairmanship of the Nansen Initiative

Khulna, 2 April 2015

The Nansen Initiative is primarily funded by the governments of Norway and Switzerland. The Initiative also benefits from generous funding from the European Commission and Germany .

Displacement 2008 – 2013: Sudden-onset disasters (IDMC)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

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GeophysicalWeather

IPCC Fifth Assessment Summary for Policymakers

“Climate change is projected to increase displacement of people (medium evidence, high agreement). Populations that lack the resources for planned migration experience higher exposure to extreme weather events, particularly in developing countries with low income. Climate change can indirectly increase risks of violent conflicts by amplifying well-documented drivers of these conflicts such as poverty and economic shocks (medium confidence).” (1 November 2014)

BACKGROUND

- Sudden-onset disaster- Slow-onset disaster- Loss of state territory - Prohibited areas- Conflict

- Humanitarian- Human rights- CC adaptation

- Development- Security

SITUATIONS CHALLENGES

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Key Gaps

• Knowledge gaps: Lack of comprehensive data• Legal gaps: International (cross-border displacement),

regional & domestic levels• Conceptual gaps: Criteria to distinguish displacement

from voluntary migration (particularly slow-onset)• Institutional gaps: Unclear mandates of agencies;

lack of structures for cross-border cooperation• Financial gaps: Funding gaps, particularly for durable

solutions

THE NANSEN INITIATIVE• Background: UNFCCC Cancun Adaptation Framework,

para. 14(f): “Measures to enhance understanding, coordination and cooperation with regard to climate change induced displacement, migration and planned relocation ….”

• Launched October 2012. – Steering Group: Norway, Switzerland, Australia,

Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Germany, Kenya, Mexico, Philippines (UNHCR & IOM as standing invitees).

– Group of friends: Chaired by Morocco and EU

– Consultative Committee

GoalNot to draft a convention or soft-law instrument.But to build consensus bottom-up among interested governments:

– On key principles and elements regarding the protection of persons displaced in the context of disasters;

– That sets the agenda for future action at domestic, regional and international levels;

– That will trigger/feed into formal process at domestic, regional and international levels

A bottom up approach to build consensus among interested governments

Regional consultations

Consolidated knowledge

Global dialogue

Protection agenda

Follow-up

Lessons learnt

1. Population movements are multi-causal: displacement “in the context of disasters”

2. Dynamics are mainly regional, vary from region to region, and call for regional responses

3. Lack of preparedness: Need to integrate population movements into NAPs, DRR strategies, etc.

4. Need for comprehensive approach (“toolkit”) 5. Need for an institutional “home” for a topic without such

home that facilitates dialogue and linkages between “silos” for a cross-cutting issue

Envisaged Outcomes

1. Protection Agenda: (i) A set of common understandings outlining shared analysis, assumptions and principles regarding cross-border mobility in the context of disasters, including the effects of climate change. (ii) An accompanying set of effective practices drawing on the actual, practical experience of Governments. (iii) An action plan for domestic, regional and global levels.

2. Framing key messages and feeding them into relevant processes at global and regional levels.

3. An institutional home/arrangement for the issue at the global level

THE TOOLBOX• Climate change mitigation• Climate Change adaptation and disaster risk

reduction, taking into account human mobility (e.g. internal relocation; building resilience of communities on the move as well as host communities)

• Migration as adaptation: Temporary/circular/permanent• Protection of internally displaced persons• Planned cross-border relocation;• (Temporary) cross-border admission for the displaced,

linked to durable solutions

Relevant processes

Global: • Post-Hyogo Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction

(Sendai March 2015)• Climate Change negotiations (Warsaw Mechanism on

loss & damage work-plan action area 6; Paris 2015 agreement?)

• World Humanitarian Summit (Istanbul 2016); • (Sustainable Development Goals? – UN SG synthesis

report December 2014)

Relevant Processes …

Regional: • Cartagena+30 Declaration and Action Plan (Brasilia

Dec. 2014)• RCM/Puebla Process Workshop on harmonization of

“humanitarian visa” (San José Feb. 2015)• Strategy for Climate and Disaster Resilient

Development in the Pacific (SRDP; draft 2014)• Regional resilience strategies (e.g. IGAD)• Etc.

Thank you for your attention

www.nanseninitiative.org

The Nansen Initiative is primarily funded by the governments of Norway and Switzerland. The Initiative also benefits from generous funding from the European Union.

The European Commission is the EU’s executive body. “The European Union is made up of 27 Member States who have decided to gradually link together their know-how, resources and destinies. Together, during a period of enlargement of 50 years, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its borders”.