Environmental Change, Climate Change and Migration in Latin America

The project between Oxfam, UNU-EHS and IOM as a collaborating partner in the field aims to help Oxfam and its stakeholders better understand and effectively address the relationship between changing environmental and climatic conditions and human mobility in Latin America.

Key Goals

The project engaged in fieldwork in five Latin and Central American countries to gather observations on the following aspects:

• Role of environmental factors in human mobility . An overview of the major reflections from fieldwork and interviews about the main factors affecting mobility (internal and international migration) in each country visited. The project report will explore the combination of environmental, social, political and other factors that overlay to create migration pressures.
• Characteristics of environmentally induced migrants . Reflection on the characteristics (e.g. age range, gender, occupation, wealth, perception…etc.) of people who are moving in countries visited. The project report will analyse any trends in characteristics of people migrating, and whether people mention if there is any difference between people who move for economic reasons, and people who move for environmental reasons.
• Patterns of environmentally induced migration in Latin America . Summary of major patterns observed in countries visited, by environmental and climate risk (rapid- vs. slow-onset) and by migration pattern (rural- rural, rural-urban, internal, international). The project report will assess whether, based on field visits, people who migrate for environmental reasons move far away or remain in a closer geographic proximity within their country. Additionally, the analysis will shed light on the kinds of policies or assistance which might help environmentally-induced migrants in particular areas.
• Policy options in Latin America. Summary of the kinds of policy options under consideration in countries visited to address environmentally-induced migration. The report will examine the relevant positions and activities that international organizations have adopted towards this issue in Latin America.   The project report will also reflect on the strategies that local and national governments have or may adopt to manage potential future migration, especially when it is induced by climatic/environmental factors.

Research Sites

UNU-EHS researchers visited five countries ( Peru, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Mexico) together with Oxfam country offices and IOM country offices. The research team interviewed relevant government authorities, scholars and experts in capital, and local stakeholders and communities in specific sites in the countryside. The research team employed semi-structured interviews, participatory methods and stakeholder focus groups. The fieldwork aims at rapid assessment of major patterns, issues, and initial policy reflections in selected Latin American countries. Discussions in selected communities during fieldwork allow local counterparts to weigh in on the role of environmental and climate change in migration decisions, as well as giving a sense of possible outcomes for environmentally induced migration in the future. The project has a particular emphasis on vulnerability and gender issues.  

Initial observations from fieldwork are reported in a stakeholder workshop held in Mexico City (and by webconference for those participating virtually) on 10 June 2010.  

A stakeholder dialogue or workshop in the autumn or at the appropriate time may be planned to discuss the findings of the project in Latin America and invite further perspectives from key stakeholders.