Knowledge and data on cross-border disaster-displacement is growing, particularly with regards to tools, models, concepts, numbers and regional dynamics. However, there are still gaps in collecting timely and detailed data crucial for reducing displacement risks and enhancing response efforts. The PDD continues to support enhanced understanding, evidence, and data on disaster displacement and its impacts is essential to identify specific disaster displacement challenges and address needs. Our approach involves linking research, data analysis, and policy development to inform advocacy and foster dialogue in relevant global policies and processes. To achieve this, the PDD supports enhanced understanding, evidence, and data on disaster displacement by commissioning or conducting research to address knowledge gaps, supporting conceptual development, and facilitating discussions and exchanges of best practices.
The PDD also works to ensure that there is baseline information available. For example, this 2024 study “Mapping Human Mobility in National and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies and Related Instruments” examines the integration of disaster displacement and human mobility into national and regional disaster risk reduction strategies, providing an overview of current practices and trends.
Similarly, the CLIMB database – first comprehensive tool tracking policies and instruments on climate change and human mobility – was created with partners to compile provisions relevant to governing human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change and environmental degradation in existing national and regional policy and legal instruments, to strengthen the existing evidence, and enhance policy coherence across existing frameworks. While this database draws mostly on commitments outlined in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), especially its Objective 2, it is highly relevant to other global policy frameworks, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Although there has been considerable progress in strengthening evidence on disaster displacement, more can be done. For example, there is still a limited understanding and qualitative research on the effectiveness and impacts of existing policy and legal mechanisms to create and expand regular migration pathways in the context of disasters, climate change and environmental degradation. Similarly, there is a need for further rights-based approaches and long-term solutions to displacement.
The Resource section of this website also provides an overview of different resources produced by the PDD and its partners, as well as leading research and publications, laws and policies addressing displacement, disasters and climate change, as well as the relationship between disasters, climate change and human mobility more generally.
Illustration by Josh Knowles.
