Human Mobility and Climate Change adaptation policy: A review of migration in National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs). Migrating out of Poverty RPC Working Paper 6.
Abstract
Although there has been increased discussion and debate in recent years in both academic and policy circles concerning the impact of climate change on human migration, little attention has been focused on how existing climate change policies discuss migration. This paper attempts to partly address this research gap by outlining the findings of the Migration RPC’s comprehensive review of migration in National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs), the national climate change adaptation plans for Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The Migration RPC’s study provides the most comprehensive review of the discussion of migration in NAPAs to date, including an in-depth look at how NAPAs discuss a wide range of migration-related issues including drought-induced migration, rural exodus, transhumance and refugees, as well as displacement and resettlement, among other topics. The review found that discussion of migration issues varies widely across different countries’ NAPAs, with some countries undertaking in-depth discussions of the relationship between migration and climate change while others scarcely consider the topic relevant to their national adaptation strategies. Where NAPAs discuss migration, they are typically concerned with internal migration, as opposed to international migratory flows. From a policy perspective, most LDCs retain a negative view of migration, as their proposed policies often seek to halt or reduce autonomous forms of migration, especially rural exodus.
Citation
Sward, J.; Codjoe, S. Human Mobility and Climate Change adaptation policy: A review of migration in National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs). Migrating out of Poverty RPC Working Paper 6. Migrating out of Poverty Consortium, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK (2012) 44 pp.
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