Policy and Practice Database

This report provides an overview of climate change and its impact on migration that informs a proposal for how U.S. foreign assistance can better address the effects of climate change impacts on displacement and migration. It goes further to outline options for protection and resettlement of individuals displaced directly or indirectly from climate change and identifies opportunities for the United States to work with other stakeholders, including through multilateral engagement, to address migration resulting directly or indirectly from climate change. 

The report concludes with a primary recommendation and a list of considerations for further evaluation that may guide the United States’ approach to climate migration, if funding and policy priorities allow. Most notably, this report recommends the establishment of a standing interagency policy process on Climate Change and Migration to coordinate U.S. Government efforts to mitigate and respond to migration resulting from the impacts of climate change that brings together representatives across the scientific, development, humanitarian, and peace and security elements of the U.S. Government.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Report-on-the-Impact-of-Climate-Change-on-Migration.pdf 

14th GFMD Summit - High-level panel on Human Mobility

The Africa Regional Migration Program (ARMP) focuses on enhancing the capacities of host governments and civil society to support the resilience of local communities. Its primary objective is to strengthen migration governance, promote partnerships, and enhance preparedness for crises. This program will enhance the coordination and cooperation of governments in addressing migration challenges and leveraging multiple opportunities associated with well-managed migration for both migrants and host societies. 

https://rodakar.iom.int/africa-regional-migration-program-armp 

14th GFMD Summit - High-level panel on Human Mobility

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is the Pacific region’s premier political and economic policy organization. The key development framework for the Forum is the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. This crucial document outlines the commitment to ensuring health and wellbeing of Pacific peoples, and to human rights and equity for all. The 2050 Strategy places emphasis on the ocean and land and celebrates Pacific communities, the natural environment, resources, livelihoods, faiths, cultural values and traditional knowledge. 

The 2050 Strategy will be achieved through coordinated work with support of national and regional institutions. Governance in this process is critical, and the 2050 Strategy acknowledges both the need for and greater expectations of transparency and accountability at all levels of government and community. Broadly, the 2050 Strategy intends to move the Pacific towards greater resiliency ‘future-proof’ the region from the risk of climate, geopolitical, security and other eventualities

https://forumsec.org/2050 

14th GFMD Summit - High-level panel on Human Mobility

The Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum on 9 November issued the 2023 Declaration on the Continuity of Statehood and the Protection of Persons in the Face of Climate Change-related Sea-Level Rise.(external link)

Climate change remains the greatest existential threat to the livelihoods, security, and well-being of the Blue Pacific Continent. The impacts of climate change include sea-level rise which is already affecting Pacific countries.

This Declaration is grounded on existing principles and features of international law to declare that the statehood and sovereignty of the Members of the Pacific Islands Forum will continue, and the rights and duties inherent thereto will be maintained, notwithstanding climate change-related sea-level rise. Forum Members also commit to protecting persons affected by sea-level rise, and call upon the international community to support the Declaration.

https://forumsec.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/2023%20PIF%20Declaration%20on%20Statehood%20and%20Protections%20of%20Persons.pdf 

14th GFMD Summit - High-level panel on Human Mobility

At COP26, President Biden announced his Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE), which brings together the diplomatic, development, and technical expertise of the United States to help more than half a billion people in developing countries adapt to and manage the impacts of climate change by 2030. Co-led by USAID and the U.S. Department of State, PREPARE is the U.S. government’s contribution to the global effort to address the impacts of the climate crisis.

The focus is threefold:

1.  getting people the climate information they need to make better decisions; 
2.  advancing the resilience of food, water, health and infrastructure systems, and 
3. mobilizing finance and private capital for adaptation. 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Full-PREPARE-Plan.pdf 

14th GFMD Summit - High-level panel on Human Mobility

The Western Hemisphere Regional Migration Program (WHP) is a U.S. government-supported program that has operated since 2011.  The State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration provides funding as a contribution to IOM to implement the program.

The WHP helps build the capacity of host governments and communities to promote safe, orderly, and humane migration management, in line with the pillars of the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection.  The WHP provides critical support to partner countries in the region to address unprecedented levels of forced displacement and irregular migration.  The program also helps reduce migrant vulnerabilities, counter the efforts of human traffickers and smugglers, and decrease irregular migration.

• https://cl.usembassy.gov/western-hemisphere-regional-migration-program/ 
• https://rosanjose.iom.int/en/news/us-pledges-usd-16-million-strengthening-migration-management-capacities-mexico-central-america-and-caribbean 

14th GFMD Summit - High-level panel on Human Mobility

The National Institute of Migration of Dominican Republic carried out a study “Promotion of livelihoods for the Venezuelan population in the Dominican Republic” in coordination with ILO and UNHCR which provides a detailed analysis of the job profiles and skills of Venezuelan migrants in the country, as well as protection and regularization measures aimed at avoiding labor informality and facilitating insertion in the health, education and tourism sectors without creating competition with national workers.

https://www.ilo.org/sanjose/WCMS_745836/lang--es/index.htm 

GFMD 2020 - Background Paper 1 "The governance of labour migration in the context of changing employment landscapes"

Los Angeles, US established a direct cash assistance programme for residents who fall below the poverty line, including undocumented immigrants and informal sector workers. Eligible families received no fee prepaid debit cards of $700-$1,500 based on their income and household size. The Mayor’s office and the non-profit Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles raised $25M from the private sector, philanthropies, and individuals for the programme to distribute directly to residents to meet their basic needs.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/us/coronavirus-undocumented-california.html 

GFMD Focused Input to the 2021 HLPF  

International initiatives such as the Call to Action: “Remittances in Crisis: How to Keep Them Flowing”, launched by Switzerland and the United Kingdom in May 2020, have also contributed to leveraging remittances and other migration-related financial flows to assist local COVID-19 response and recovery interventions.

As the world went into lockdown mode in Spring 2020, the worldwide flow of remittances decreased abruptly and dramatically. The Global Call to Action is a multi-stakeholder effort, and a Member State-led initiative calling on policymakers, regulators, and remittance service providers (RSPs) to improve migrants’ access to sending and receiving remittances, and to reduce transfer costs during the ongoing pandemic. Spearheaded by the Governments of Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the call to action – Remittances in Crisis – How to Keep Them Flowing issued on 22 May 2020 – is supported by the World Bank, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), UNDP, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Association of Money Transfer Networks (IAMTN) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).   

• https://www.knomad.org/covid-19-remittances-call-to-action/ 
• https://www.knomad.org/covid-19-remittances-call-to-action/documents/call_to_action_stocktaking_report.pdf 

GFMD 2020 - Background Paper RT 6 "Fostering Partnerships to Realise Migration-Related Goals"

GFMD Focused Input to the 2021 HLPF