GFMD Thematic Workshop on Climate and Human Mobility

GFMD Thematic Workshop on Climate and Human Mobility

As part of a series of GFMD thematic workshops organized by the French Chair, a full-day workshop focusing on “Climate and human mobility” was held at the French Development Agency in Paris on 28 June 2023. The event drew participation from more than 140 representatives from GFMD Member States and various stakeholders, with an additional 70 attendees joining online.

Within the core emphasis of the French Chair's GFMD 2022-2023 overarching priority—Climate Change and Human Mobility—the discussion addressed the vital significance of data in policy development (panel 1), highlighted the importance of the local dimension (panel 2), and underscored the imperative for robust partnerships to propel concrete actions (panel 3).

The discussion delved into:

• Emphasis of the intricate relationship between climate change and various factors, heightening risks and vulnerabilities for affected populations.
• Recognizing migration as a crucial adaptation strategy gained prominence, particularly in light of the substantial increase in climate change-related displacements (32 million in 2022).
• Recommendations included urgent implementation of the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the proposal for a COP28 Loss and Damage Fund to financially assist nations most affected by natural disasters.
• Reference was made to the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact (June 22-23, 2023) in Paris, focusing on reshaping the global financial architecture to support developing and low-income countries facing challenges such as debt, climate change, and poverty.

The GFMD Thematic Workshop on Climate and Human Mobility therefore proved to be a successful and relevant opportunity to bring together different stakeholders in the discussion of issues that are strongly central today, in anticipation of the 14th GFMD Summit in January 2024, where these questions will be addressed in even greater depth.