Third Summer Academy Environment-related migration – Hard facts needed for a better policy Hohenkammer near Munich was the venue for the third Summer Academy in late July 2008. 25 young scientists from 16 nations were given the task of assessing the extent to which environmental and climate change is forcing people to migrate from their homelands. Examples from Alaska and the small island states of the Pacific show just how pressing this problem has become.“Climate change has forced us to speed up our search for solutions to the problem of environment-related migration”, explained Professor Anthony Oliver-Smith in his opening address to the academy. At the same time, he bemoaned the lack of adequate research into the interdependencies involved in migration. The 25 young scientists from 16 countries had gathered at Hohenkammer precisely with the objective of remedying this situation. Their goal was to identify the most important areas of research into migration and to draw up a work plan for scientists. Robin Bronen, a participant from Alaska and an expert on social vulnerability, summed up as follows: “Numerous communities in my country are already having to migrate as the permafrost thaws and widespread erosion destroys coastal areas and other natural habitats. The government is nowhere near adequately prepared for this problem.” Other examples from countries in Asia and the small island states of the Pacific clearly show that environment-related migration is not just a topic for the future, it is already with us. Push and pull factors
The media and specialist literature have come up with widely differing opinions and figures on the extent of forced migration. Experts estimate that by the middle of this century up to 200 million people will be forced to migrate for environmental reasons. Specialists from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Geneva and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) debated with Summer Academy participants about the different push and pull factors involved. These discussions highlighted the fact that although environmental and climate changes are clearly playing an increasingly important role, they are by no means responsible for most of the migration movements today. “There are countless aspects which determine the vulnerability and resilience of emigrants and immigrants”, explained Frank Laczko, Head of Research at IOM. He also stressed the difficulty in identifying a single clear motive for migration. “In global terms, economic and political aspects are obviously the main factors but people also have to move when heatwaves and droughts persistently destroy crops and thus remove their livelihoods and source of income.” Hard facts for a better policy
The results of these discussions formed the basis for the “Hohenkammer Challenge”, a research agenda which the academy participants will apply to their future scientific and political work. The agenda will be in place by October 2008 and will be presented at a major international conference in Bonn (the EFMSV, Environment, Forced Migration and Social Vulnerability). “It is important that the Summer Academy fosters the potential of young scientists, but we need to produce worthwhile results as well”, emphasised Thomas Loster, Chairman of the Munich Re Foundation and host of the academy. The core statements in the agenda are:
- Science must provide politics with more facts and hard figures.
- Research not only has to be more systematic but also pooled to a much greater
extent and involve more intensive cooperation between relevant institutions. The
complex interdependencies between politics, environment, food supplies, poverty,
culture and quality of life are still a long way from being properly understood.
- A uniform system of recording migration parameters and use of more sophisticated
interview techniques are every bit as important as careful consideration of the
social vulnerability in different cultures. Professor Oliver-Smith underlined the importance of research in prospective planning and added: “Ultimately, we will also learn a lot from practical examples. Successful resettlements will prove to be the best teacher.” However, there is still a long way to go before we reach that stage, as the example of the Pacific islands shows: the rising seal levels in Tuvalu and Kiribati are already forcing the inhabitants of these islands to emigrate to Australia and New Zealand. In addition to the political challenges involved, such resettlement also shows just how difficult it is to integrate uprooted people in their new environment. At the end of the week, Professor Janos Bogardi, Vice Rector of the UN University (UNU) in Europe, summed up as follows: “Thus far, research into migration has taken place principally within a philosophical context, encompassing a combination of assumptions, estimates, apprehensions and hypotheses. What we need, however, is a rapid shift towards rigorous empirical research that reaches the media, society and politics as effectively as possible. Only in this way will it be possible to find solutions for people already threatened by environment-related migration.” 12 August 2008 |