International Organization for Migration (IOM)

IOM pursues three broad objectives in managing migration and displacement in the context of disasters and climate change, intervening at each stage of the migration cycle, to:

• Minimize forced and unmanaged migration
• When forced migration occurs, to ensure assistance and protection for those affected and to seek durable solutions
• Facilitate the role of migration as an adaptation strategy to climate change

IOM’s activities in this area include :

• Operational activities to prevent, prepare for, respond to, mitigate the impact of and address instances of environmental migration and displacement: risk assessment and disaster risk reduction; planning evacuations and building the capacity of national authorities and communities to respond to disasters; evacuations, transportation and humanitarian assistance through the Cluster Approach (IOM is the lead of the Global Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster for Natural Disasters); displacement tracking; community stabilization, facilitated return and durable solutions.
  In addition, IOM conducts activities addressing issues of long-term environmental degradation and developing innovative solutions linking migration management, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and sustainable development;
• Research and data collection including national and regional assessments on migration, environment and climate change, data collection through field operations, IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, and through the work of the Global Monitoring and Data Analysis Centre; research capacity building in developing countries;
• Policy and advocacy work led by IOM’s Migration, Environment and Climate Change Division through capacity-building for policymakers, policy analysis, communication and publications, and contribution to global policy processes on climate change, migration, sustainable development and disaster risk reduction.