The State of Environmental Migration 2010
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STUDY N°07/11 DECEMBER 2011 | CLIMATE The State of Environmental Migration 2010 Edited by François Gemenne Pauline Brücker Joshua Glasser Russia France Nepal Haiti Darfur Pakistan Brazil Chile Institut du développement durable et des relations internationales 27, rue Saint-Guillaume www.iddri.org 75337 Paris cedex 07 France © Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) / International Organization for Migration (IOM) Disclaimer – IDDRI As a foundation of public utility, IDDRI encour- ages reproduction and communication of its copy- righted materials to the public, with proper credit (bibliographical reference and/or corresponding URL), for personal, corporate or public policy research, or educational purposes. However, IDDRI’s copyrighted materials are not for commer- cial use or dissemination (print or electronic). Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in the materials are those of the various authors and are not necessarily those of IDDRI’s board. Disclaimer – IOM The opinions expressed in the report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The designations employed and the pres- entation of material throughout the report do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries. IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As an intergovernmental organization, IOM acts with its partners in the international community to: assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration; advance understanding of migration issues; encourage social and economic develop- ment through migration; and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants. Publisher: International Organization for Migration 17 route des Morillons -1211 Geneva 19 SwitzerlandTel: +41.22.717 91 11 Fax: +41.22.798 61 50 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.iom.int All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, elec- tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. The State of Environmental Migration 2010 Edited by François Gemenne Pauline Brücker Joshua Glasser IDDRI IDÉES POUR LE DÉBAT 05/2011 3 The State of Environmental Migration 2010 FOREWORD BY LAURENCE TUBIANA Director, Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) t is not so often that a university professor But what is most remarkable about this volume gets the chance to write the foreword of a is that it is the work of students. When Sciences Po volume put together by Masters’ students. created a course on “Environment and Migration”, But I have to say that this project is excep- as part of the Master on Environment, Sustainable tional in many regards. Development and Risks, it was the very first uni- IFirst of all, this volume does an exceptional job versity course dedicated to this issue. This volume in documenting recent events of environmental is first and foremost a testimony of the exceptional migration and displacement. Today, there is hardly potential of the youth to address this issue: they a week that goes by without the media announcing represent the generation that will need to provide significant population displacements due to envi- leadership on what appears to be one of the defin- ronmental changes. Yet, beyond the press head- ing issues of our time. lines, little is known about the complex relationship Finally, I am very happy that IDDRI has joined ef- between environmental changes and migration. forts with IOM in order to put this volume togeth- Through an analysis of a variety of case-studies, er. IDDRI has actively engaged in research on this this volume highlights the wide diversity of move- topic since 2009, and it is one of the areas where ments that hide beyond the label of “environmen- IDDRI and IOM closely cooperate together, and tal migration”. It sheds a new, more complex light this cooperation should further grow in the years on many of the crises that marred the year 2010. It to come. This volume reaffirms the importance of is the first of an annual series, responding to the policy-relevant research – one of IDDRI’s core ob- need to provide a foundation of empirical evidence jectives, and it is with great pride that I support the for the cases that attract high media attention, but publication of this special volume. ❚ also for those that go unnoticed because they are often considered as “not spectacular enough”. 4 STUDY 07/2011 IDDRI The State of Environmental Migration 2010 FOREWORD BY MD. SHAHIDUL HAQUE Director, Department for International Cooperation and Partnerships International Organization for Migration (IOM) nvironmental degradation prompted degradation and migration. The IOM has carried by increased extreme weather patterns out programs to address the challenges in more such as floods, severe hurricanes, deser- than 40 countries in the Pacific, Latin America, tification, and melting glaciers have be- Asia and Africa, and is or has been present in many come much more frequent. In 2008, ex- of the areas that are described in case studies in Etreme weather events displaced 20 million people this publication, such as Pakistan, Haiti, Nepal compared to 4.6 million people displaced within or Darfur. In line with IOM’s comprehensive ap- their own country by conflict and violence. Cli- proach to human mobility, interventions cover mate-related disasters are the main sudden onset the continuum from emergency preparedness and trigger responsible for displacement in 2009 and response to disaster risk reduction and climate 2010 causing the displacement of 15 million people change adaptation, contributing to the sustainable in 2009 and 38 million people in 2010 (IDMC 2011). development of countries and communities. The impact of these major environmental inci- As this collection of student research papers dents demands a broader policy discourse to de- and case studies on emerging and ongoing dis- vise stronger mitigation and/or adaptation capaci- asters demonstrates, despite the global nature of ties. The incorporation of all stakeholders of all environmental change, the manifestations of the ages is central in learning lessons and developing phenomenon will be characteristically local. Fail- new alternatives. The International Organisation ing to incorporate migration within the policy for Migration is therefore pleased to support the discourse could seriously undermine potential al- innovative student-led project entitled The State of ternative livelihood strategies. The papers discuss Environmental Migration initiated by the Institute the necessity for states and their partners as well for Sustainable Development and International re- as local populations to develop strategies, policies lations (IDDRI). and programmes along a continuum ranging from The IOM and IDDRI have a long history of co- emergency preparedness and response to disaster operation on the topics of environmental degra- risk reduction and climate change adaptation. dation and migration, collaborating on knowl- One of the greatest inequities in the shift of glob- edge creation and devising field projects to better al temperature and the increase in natural disas- manage the migratory effects of environmental ters is that future generations will most likely wit- change. The link between IDDRI’s experience in ness the greatest disruption to their livelihoods. governance, climate and agriculture, and IOM’s Incorporating the voices of tomorrow within the expertise as a leader on migration issues is key current policy discourse is an important step in de- for staying abreast of environmentally-induced veloping strong future leadership needed to tackle migration trends. Incorporating student research these difficult challenges. ❚ papers within the wider policy discourse on envi- ronmental and climate change is a novel practice “It is the youth of the world who can set the which gives our youth a strong voice in the debate. agenda for the future and pursue it with dili- Migration is a way for people to adjust to a gence. We must do all we can to empower young changing environment. The consequence of envi- people to take action, because the future be- ronmental degradation on migration presents hu- longs to them” (Rajenda Pachauri, chairman manity with unprecedented challenges. The num- of the intergovernmental Panel on Climate ber of storms, droughts and floods has increased Change at COP 15/CMP15). threefold over the last 30 years with devastating effects on vulnerable communities. Since the early 1990s, the IOM has been particularly committed to tackling the emerging issues of environmental IDDRI STUDY 07/2011 5 The State of Environmental Migration 2010 EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS 8 INTRODUCTION 13 Part 1 – EMERGING CATASTROPHES 15 1. Floods in Pakistan (Shoghi Emerson) 17 2. Wildfires in Russia (Daria Mokhnacheva) 27 3. The Earthquake in Haiti (Nikola Gütermann and Eve Schneider) 39 4. The Earthquake in Chile (Mylène André) 49 5. The Xynthia Storm in France (Jean Le Goff) 57 Part 2 – ON-GOING CRISES 65 6. Displacement risks from glacial melting in Nepal (Radu Nikolaus Botez) 67 7. Migration and relief action in drought-affected Darfur (Charles-Édouard de Ramaix) 77 8. Patterns of environmental migration in Brazil: three case studies (Nathalia Capellini, Carolina M. Castro and Eva Gutjahr) 87 8.1. Case 1: Drought and migration in Northeastern Brazil 88 8.2. Case 2: Environmental migration in the Brazilian Amazon: What is the role of policy? 94 8.3. Case 3: Environmental and Human Disaster in the Hilly Regions of the State of Rio de Janeiro (January 2011) 100 CONCLUSION 111 IDDRI STUDY 07/2011 7 The State of Environmental Migration 2010 EDITORS François Gemenne Joshua Glasser François Gemenne teaches the course on “Environ- Joshua Glasser is a Master’s student at the Har- ment and Migration” at Sciences Po’s Paris School vard School of Public Health.