Highlights from the project

Franois Gemenne
Regional Conference: Policy Responses to Climate-Induced in Asia and the Pacific

Manila, 15 September 2011

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this paper are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this paper do not imply any view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.

Why climate-induced migration matters?

Asia-Pacific is home to 4 billion people, i.e. 60 % of the worlds population, with a huge migration potential. Significant inequalities between countries remain, with some still stricken by poverty. It is the region most affected by disasters

More than 30 million people displaced by disasters in 2010

And it will be one of the regions most impacted by climate change

8 of the 10 countries with the largest population living in lowlying regions 6 of the 10 most vulnerable countries worldwide

Why does it demand attention?

Because of the intertwining of environmental drivers with other socio-economic drivers

Climate-induced migration needs to be addressed as part of global migration dynamics, not as a discrete category

Because of the uneven distribution of climate impacts

Need for international and regional cooperation

Because of the potential magnitude of migration flows

Especially if climate change reaches 4C+

Because the magnitude and patterns of migration will greatly depend upon policy responses

Yet policy debates rely on misperceptions

Climate-induced migration is widely perceived as:

A new, distinct category of migration A systematic failure to adapt

A threat to security
A fatality

With the migrants themselves considered as helpless, expiatory victims of climate change

London Futures, exhibition at the Museum of London

What the project is about

Reconnecting policy debates with reality

Five policy directions: Framing the issue in a development agenda Strengthening adaptation through migration Improving the knowledge base Developing capacities and international cooperation Funding solutions

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