Migration and climate change: Should we be planning for human movement?

Last week the UK Government’s Foresight Team released findings of a two year project on global environmental change and migration. With 350 experts contributing to the 200 page report, Environmental Change: Future Challenges and Opportunities is a weighty contribution to the existing evidence base.

To generate discussion about what the Foresight report means for UK Government Policy and how to secure justice for those at risk of displacement, or displaced by environmental change the UK Climate Change & Migration Coalition are hosting:

A high-profile speaker evening – “Migration and climate change: Should we be planning for human movement?” on the 2nd November 2011 (7pm-9pm)

With a fresh and challenging format, six leading experts will navigate the core of migration and climate change concerns from their different institutional and intellectual perspectives. Migration and climate change: should we be planning for human movement? promises an evening of thought provoking ideas and discussion on how to secure justice for those people at risk of displacement linked to climate change. How is climate change affecting migration flows? What’s the relationship between climate change and poverty and should we be facilitating cross border mobility before humanitarian crises unfold?

Speakers include:

• Agnes Hurwitz (Senior Research Officer, Division of International Protection – UNHCR)
• Clarissa Azkoul (Chief of Mission – International Organization for Migration UK)
• Professor Brad Blitz (Professor of Human and Political Geography – Kingston University)
• Dr Alexander Betts (Hedley Bull Research Fellow in International Relations – Oxford University)
• Janani Vivekananda (Senior Climate Change and Security Adviser – International Alert)
• Tori Timms (Senior Campaigner – Environmental Justice Foundation)