Cairo – 13 September 2022. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Arab Water Council (AWC) organized a technical session focusing on “Climate Change, Water Resources and Human Mobility” at the Environment Development Form (EDF).

The event brough together experts to analyze the impact of climate change and natural resources degradation on mobility dynamics in the region and discussed possible actions to address the impacts. The session aimed to contribute leading up to the discussion that will take place at the COP 27 on November 2022 in Egypt.  

IOM calls for increasing cooperation and partnership at all levels better understand the nexus between climate change, fragility and peace given since the data on the nexus remains scarce, especially on how climate change, human mobility and conflicts interact with one another. To address this, IOM is implementing research projects in the MENA region to inform on this nexus.   

“IOM   works with the government and other stakeholders to improve migration governance and related policies.” Said Mr. Oleg Naumov, Regional Director, a.i. IOM Regional Office MENA. “ IOM aims at implementing practical interventions to build resilience of the communities vulnerable to climate change. Data sharing and collection is the foundation to enhance cross regional cooperation and the base of strong policy making” he added.

With wide participation from UN Agencies, NGOs, academia, and other stakeholders this session aimed to fully embed one of the COP 27 Presidency's priorities: water and adaptation with a focus on mobilizing collective efforts to secure a sustainable future for all.

Experts in the field highlighted the impact of climate change and natural resources degradation on gender and youth in the region and the importance of youth engagement in the context of climate change and mobility.  These fruitful deliberations will furthermore contribute to the much-needed knowledge, research and evidence-based policy insights in order to work present the link between climate change and human mobility.

In its drive to promote and support effective policies, good practices and efficient institutions in the Water, Environment and Climate sectors, and in preparation for the Climate Change COP 27 hosted by Egypt, the Arab Water Council organized the “Environment and Development Forum (EDF 2022): The Road to Sharm El-Sheikh (COP 27)”.  The Forum was hosted in Egypt under the kind patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representing the Egyptian presidency of the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) on Climate Change, and in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Environment. The Forum provided a platform for communication among experts and decision-makers from all over the world to discuss and develop strategies, roadmaps and technologies that address environmental issues and climate change adaptation/mitigation measures, and to identify key Climate Change challenges and the most appropriate sustainable development strategies to overcome them.

Co-Organized by IOM and AWC, the session on Climate Change and Human Mobility brought regional and international partners together in a comprehensive discussion about the climate migration nexus.