This interview with IOM Ireland describes the topic of my research thesis for the MSc in Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security at NUIG. The report evaluates the many existing and potential facets of Migration, Environment and Climate Change (MECC) in the context of Ireland.
Climate change acts as a threat-amplifier to existing inequalities and conditions of poverty and vulnerability, therefore, it is vital to facilitate migration pathways that allow those most vulnerable to successfully adapt to the climate crisis. It is essential to also harness the positive advantages that such migration can stimulate, when under the optimal conditions – this can include restorative environmental work that mitigates climate change in destination countries, or remittances that foster further adaptation in origin countries – overall, contributing to the reduction of displacement or further climate-driven migration in the future.
Fundamentally, the MECC nexus is an issue of climate justice. Millions of families, communities and individuals have already left their homes due to the convergence of socioeconomic vulnerabilities with climate-induced disasters and degradation. This is especially present in the Global South, which constitutes of the countries that have contributed least to the emissions that have fuelled the climate breakdown. It is the responsibility of countries such as Ireland to not only face the challenges of the nexus at home, but to also contribute to loss & damage funds, mitigation and adaptation efforts and further research and advocacy for those internationally who are bearing the brunt of this crisis.
The MECC nexus is constantly evolving as both challenges escalate due to stalled action and the unavoidable impacts of the emissions trapped in our atmosphere. This report hopes to contribute to the growing evidence and advocacy on the nexus, while also urging policy makers to recognize the immediacy of these challenges and opportunities, and the benefits of approaching them now, rather than facing even more disastrous consequences later.