National Forum on Human Mobility and Climate Change in Costa Rica

San José, 14-15 February 2024 — The National Forum on Human Mobility and Climate Change brought together experts, policymakers, community leaders and activists to discuss and address challenges around human mobility in the context of climate change. It provided an important space for dynamic knowledge exchange and collaboration, including around challenges and innovative solutions.

The Forum particularly amplified the voices and experiences of communities. Local government leaders from Heredia, Parrita, Los Chiles and other communities shared how climate change is impacting their communities and livelihoods, shedding light on the unique challenges and perspectives of each community. Likewise, academics, international agencies and practitioners presented case studies undertaken in communities around the country. These discussions underscored that collaborative and community-driven solutions must be employed to identify and address the diverse needs of urban and rural populations, promote social equity, and protect communities in vulnerable situations.

The Forum further highlighted the importance of bridging silos and fostering cross-sectoral and international cooperation to address the interconnected challenges of, and policy gaps around, human mobility and climate change in Costa Rica. In this context, participants identified opportunities to link climate change action and disaster risk reduction efforts, as well as opportunities for policymakers to mainstream human mobility considerations into these policies.

The National Forum on Human Mobility and Climate Change was organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Costa Rica, the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica (MINAE), the National Disaster Risk Reduction Agency in Costa Rica (CNE), the University of Costa Rica, FLACSO and the Municipality of Heredia.

For more information, please visit www.disasterdisplacement.org and email: juan.mendez@disasterdisplacement.org

Header Photo @ Silivan Munguarakarama on Unsplash / Head Photo @ IOM