Erin Sikorsky, Director of the Center for Climate & Security, discusses climate migration crisis, security implications, and mitigation strategies. Topics include displacement due to climate hazards, challenges of rural-to-urban migration, policies for climate migration, investing in local adaptation and resilience, renewable energy sources, partnerships, and conveying urgency.
Climate migration is primarily driven by climate hazards such as hurricanes, storms, wildfires, desertification, and drought, and 75% of new displacements in 2020 were caused by climate impacts.
To effectively address climate migration, proactive policy decisions and investments are needed, including building infrastructure, creating housing solutions in urban centers, supporting agricultural adaptation, and fostering international cooperation to develop and implement migration plans.
Deep dives
Climate migration and the need for adaptation
Climate migration is driven by climate hazards such as hurricanes, storms, wildfires, desertification, and drought. In 2020, 75% of new displacements were caused by some kind of climate impact. Migration is primarily internal, with people moving from rural to urban areas within their own countries. However, some migration may be cross-border in the future. The implications of climate-driven migration to urban areas include overcrowding, lack of infrastructure, health risks, and vulnerability to additional climate hazards. Investments in local adaptation and resilience, such as building new communities and investing in agricultural adaptation, can help mitigate the need for migration. It is essential for countries, especially in the global south, to make plans and policy investments to manage climate migration effectively.
Preparing for climate migration challenges
To mitigate the challenges of climate migration, countries need to make proactive policy decisions and investments. Countries should plan for the arrival of climate migrants by building infrastructure and creating housing solutions in urban centers. Additionally, investment in local adaptation and resilience is crucial to address the root causes of migration. This includes supporting agricultural adaptation, developing drought-resistant crops, and providing tools and resources to local farmers. International cooperation is important, with countries like the United States supporting the development and implementation of migration plans. These investments and support contribute to stability and economic development in countries facing climate migration challenges.
Addressing the tension between mitigation and adaptation
There has been a historical concern that focusing on adaptation would divert attention and resources from emission reduction efforts. However, it is now recognized that both mitigation and adaptation are necessary. Cutting emissions alone will not address the immediate challenges presented by climate hazards. Examples of initiatives that contribute to both adaptation and mitigation goals include investing in renewable energy sources to enhance resilience in the face of energy supply chain shocks caused by climate hazards. Additionally, investments in sustainable agriculture can improve resilience and reduce emissions. It is essential to emphasize that adaptation and mitigation are not mutually exclusive but complementary in addressing climate change challenges.
Convening stakeholders and building partnerships
Effectively addressing climate migration requires collaboration among various stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, scientific communities, and local leaders. Convening diverse groups, such as the Climate Migration Council, fosters the kind of multi-sectoral dialogue necessary to find shared solutions. This includes local engagement and participation to ensure that the voices and needs of affected communities are heard and considered. Partnerships are crucial to bridge gaps between climate science and policy implementation. It is important to build connections and collaborations that go beyond traditional geopolitical frameworks in order to anticipate and respond to the challenges presented by climate migration.
It’s been another brutal summer with seemingly constant natural disasters precipitated by climate change. The United States and other countries have rightfully begun thinking of climate change as a security issue. But extreme weather is not the only challenge we must contend with. There’s also the problem of climate change’s victims, many of whom are forced to leave their homes.
Lawfare Executive Editor Natalie Orpett sat down with Erin Sikorsky, Director of the Center for Climate & Security at the Council on Strategic Risks, to talk about this phenomenon, which is often referred to as climate migration. They discussed the scope of the climate migration crisis, its security implications, and how we can try to mitigate the harm.
