Humanitarian Talk at the 2023 European Humanitarian Forum

“Averting, Minimizing and Addressing Disaster Displacement: Partnerships and Integrated Approaches for Action and Support”
Humanitarian Talk at the 2023 European Humanitarian Forum
20 March 2023, 13:30-14:30 CET
In Brussels and online
Register here

Background and Objective

According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), in 2021, more than 24 million people were newly displaced as a result of disasters linked to natural hazards, a majority of which were weather- and climate-related. In the context of global warming, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently concluded that climate and weather extremes are increasingly driving displacement in all regions, with Small Island Developing States (SIDS) disproportionately affected. The IPCC finds that risks and disaster displacement will increase with intensification of heavy precipitation and associated flooding, tropical cyclones, drought and, increasingly, sea level rise. The IPCC concludes with high confidence that where climate hazards interact with high vulnerability, climate change is already contributing to humanitarian crises and disaster displacement.

In a situation where humanitarian needs, disaster displacement and associated risks are at an all-time high and are likely to grow, a shift is needed from managing humanitarian ‘consequences‘ to better managing and reducing the risks associated with displacement, including prevention of displacement when possible.

 The objective of this Humanitarian Talk is to raise awareness and understanding among the session audience to the impacts of a warming climate on humanitarian needs of persons and risks associated with disaster displacement, and to explore the potential and possible role of scaling up the use and application of tools like early warning systems, anticipatory financing, climate financing and comprehensive risk management. The Humanitarian Talk will also focus on the overall theme of the European Humanitarian Forum (EHF) related to anticipating and responding to climate related crises, and the importance of localization of action.

Organisers: Platform on Disaster Displacement, the European Union and Kenya, NRC, IDMC, IFRC, IOM, GNDR, UNDRR

Moderator: Prof. Walter Kaelin, Envoy of the Chair of the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD)

Speakers:

• Ms. Joanna Darmanin, Head of the Humanitarian Aid Thematic Policies Unit, Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO).
• Ms. Christelle Cazabat, Head of Programmes, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)
• Mr. Nicholas Bishop, Disaster Risk Reduction Programme Officer, International Organization for Migration (IOM)
• Ms. Kara Devonna Siahaan, Head, Anticipation Hub
• Ms. Katleen Maes, Director Human Mobility Hub,  North Africa, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
• Mr. Anare Leweniqila, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Fiji to the United Nations Office in Geneva

Read more about the European Union, Chair of PDD