Human mobility in the context of climate change - implications of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Eastern Caribbean
This policy brief seeks to better understand the nexus between COVID-19, climate change/hurricane season and human mobility in the OECS region. The Eastern Caribbean region is currently faced with a dilemma: On the one hand, the region is struggling with the management of the COVID-19 pandemic which has necessitated extended State of Emergency periods with established curfews and other measures to encourage people to stay home, practice social distancing and move as little as possible. Also, borders are largely closed, hence, the Free Movement of People Regime in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) region is restricted due to COVID-19. These situations imply that people cannot move within the region and internal movements are also restricted. On the other hand, the OECS region is expecting an above-average active hurricane season which, based on past experience, might require people to move within their countries or across borders as a result of hurricanes or other climate-related events. These two different crises demand contrasting kinds of action: remaining versus moving.
The survey and the interviews revealed that one of the most urgent needs is to strengthen the institutional and financial mechanisms which support HMCCC in OECS MS. Weaknesses in the existing systems in absence of COVID-19 have been reported. In addition, coordination in responses will ensure that human, physical and financial resources are efficiently allocated. A final consideration is that future climate change related impacts may include pandemics, as science has revealed that with the melting of the permafrost, new diseases may begin to affect human beings. COVID-19 therefore can be considered as just one major issue, with others becoming more prevalent in the future. As such the OECS region must be positioned to respond to any future pandemics by ensuring that pandemic plans and climate change and migration policies provide the basis for timely action.