ClimMig: Climate-induced migration and the need for new normative and institutional frameworks

The impacts of climate change will lead to migration, the extent of which is dependent on mitigation and adaptation measures. It is assumed that the majority of persons affected will stay within the region, i.e. mainly within the developing world, and that only few persons will have sufficient resources to arrive in countries outside their region.
While climate-induced migration has for a long time been regarded solely as the result of “failed adaptation” (i.e. mostly forced migration), it is increasingly recognised that migration can also form part of an adaptation strategy. However, with regard to both aspects (i.e. migration to survive and migration for adaptation), existing international legal, normative and institutional frameworks are not deemed to be adequate (no adequate protection for persons forced to leave their homes and no offer of adequate frameworks necessary to make migration work as an adaptation strategy).
Relating to both aspects, the project seeks to identify current gaps in international legal, normative and institutional frameworks, to give an overview of current implementation at Austrian/EU level and establish recommendations addressed in particular to Austrian (and also EU) policy makers as how to overcome legal, normative and institutional gaps. In order to make the implications of the lack of adequate frameworks for climate-induced migration visible, a maximum of five case studies will be conducted.

This project receives financial support from the Climate and Energy Fund and is carried out within the framework of the “ACRP” Programme.