A development approach to internal displacement and human mobility linked to disasters and climate change

Introduction

There is growing evidence that disasters, climate change and environmental degradation have a vast and increasing effect on human mobility trends worldwide, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities due to internal displacement and internal migration. Most persons displaced by disasters, climate change and environmental degradation (predominantly women and children) remain within the borders of their homeland and are hence considered Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) or internal (environmental) migrants. Whereas humanitarian support is essential but has its limits, initiatives addressing the long-term collective developmental challenges of this matter are often lagging behind.

This action promotes a development-oriented approach in addressing internal displacement and displacement induced by disasters, climate change and environmental degradation. It aims to build resilience and to take preventive action, effectively manage flows, adapt to and mitigate negative consequences on people’s rights realization and inclusion in their host communities.

This action consists of three components: supporting the activities of the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), supporting the implementation of the multilateral UN Secretary General’s Action Agenda on Internal Displacement, and supporting selected partner countries and regional organisations to increase the understanding of the drivers, patterns, impacts and risks of (internal) displacement induced by disaster, climate change and environmental degradation.

Scope and objectives

The overall objective of this action is to strengthen a human rights-based development-oriented approach in managing human mobility induced by disasters, climate change and environmental degradation.

The action works towards two outcomes: 

1. Promoting a human rights-based development approach in global policy processes to address human mobility induced by disasters, climate change and environmental degradation.

   To achieve this objective, this action supports the activities of the intergovernmental Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD) which the EU chaired from July 2022 until December 2023. This support allows for better protection of those (at risk of being) displaced by disasters and the adverse effects of climate change through global advocacy, policy and normative development, exchange of best practices and capacity building in a selection of countries.

   Secondly, this action supports the implementation of the multilateral UN Secretary General's Action Agenda on Internal Displacement. This Action Agenda promotes a development-oriented approach in addressing IDPs situations through increased support at country-level in a selection of countries, engagement with International Financial Institutions (IFI) and improved global coordination. It aims to step up actions to find solutions for IDPs, including through climate change adaptation and resilience.

2. Reducing the risks and impacts of disaster and climate-related displacement in selected countries and regions through developmental actions.

   To achieve this objective, the EU supports selected partner countries in Asia, Latin-America and Sub-Saharan Africa as well as regional organisations to increase the understanding of the drivers, patterns, impacts and risks of displacement, and in particular internal displacement, induced by disaster, climate change and environmental degradation. This will be done by data collection, data analysis and research. Moreover, this will allow to strengthen the capacity of selected partner countries and regional organizations to monitor, prevent, mitigate the impact and help manage the consequences of the issue at stake, with the aim to promote them at global level. 

Results

This action will support several countries in Latin America, Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa in dealing with climate-induced and internal displacement through:

• Revision of migration and forced displacement strategies and a better reflection of disaster and internal displacement in national and regional policy instruments.
• Organisation of trainings, capacity-building events and simulation exercises on the national and regional level.
• Inter-UN and global coordination on solutions for IDPs, and holding displacement dialogues at the global level.
• More countries with improved disaggregated data and reporting on disaster displacement, and where compounding drivers and impacts of displacement are analysed. More country profiles with disaggregated data and evidence on impacted people.
• 9 studies on the socio-economic impacts of internal displacement. Ensuring the uptake of severity and impact assessments of disaster and conflict displacement on different groups.
• Country-level assessments and engagement plans in 5 priority countries and tailored capacity support to governments and national stakeholders.
• 20 partnerships with national governments and regional entities to promote knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning.
• Identification and documentation of successful initiatives serving as good practices which will be showcased on an online global platform.

Implementing partners

United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is the implementing partner for the EU’s support to the activities of the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD) (1 million EUR), as it hosts the Secretariat of the PDD in Geneva.

United National Development Programme (UNDP) is the implementing partner for the EU’s support to the implementation of the Action Agenda on Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons. The EU provides 1 million EUR to support two UN Resident Coodinators in Nigeria and Colombia for two years, to strengthen UN and national capacities for solutions to internal displacement.

The UN Secretary-General designated UN Resident Coordinators (UN RC) as the UN’s lead on solutions at the national level. They are tasked to proactively engage with national and local authorities on solutions, ensure solutions are reflected as a priority in UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs), and work with the authorities to develop and /or strengthen whole-of-government solution strategies through a consultative and inclusive process, which draws on the views, capacities and preferences of IDPs and local communities.

Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) is the implementing partner for the second objective of the action. The EU supports IDMC with 8 million EUR to enhance prevention, risk reduction and response to disaster and climate-related displacement, through data collection and analysis, research, and capacity-building activities.