The EMN Swedish Presidency Conference entitled Displacement and migration related to disasters, climate change and environmental degradation took place on 11-12 of May 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden.
The conference brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including policy makers, EU agencies, NGOs, international organisations, and academia. Its primary purpose was to explore the potential impact of climate change on global migration and foster an exchange of policy advancements and engage in robust discussions strategizing future actions aimed at addressing the issues and impacts of this phenomenon.
The conference was opened by the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, highlighting the increase in natural disasters and displaced persons, followed by a introductory speech by Minister for Migration, Maria Malmer Stenergard, who outlined the Swedish, European and global scopes of climate-related migration. Following that, the Director General of the Swedish Migration Agency Mikael Ribbenvik, highlighted the growing need for collaboration across borders, agencies and experts while reenforcing the need for interconnected policy action at all levels.
The opening keynote speakers set the tone for the event and raised pivotal issues while outlining the event’s objectives. The first keynote speaker, Rainer Münz, Professor at Central European University, offered an in-depth overview of how climate change affects human mobility and its implications on both global and local levels. Following the insightful overview, the second keynote speaker Koko Warner, Director of the Global Data Institute at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) emphasized the paramount importance of prompt responses to disasters. This included a call for addressing vulnerabilities with urgency, encompassing critical areas such as healthcare and community engagement.
The conference focused on exploring how we can gain a deeper understanding of the interplay between migration and displacement and ways to implement essential policy and practical steps to address these challenges effectively. The panelists raised wide range of issues from increased number of displaced persons to the need to focus on finding long-term solutions, primarily putting system in place that focuses on prevention and capacity building. Highlighting the Pact on Migration and Asylum, the Green Deal and efforts taken by the European Commission regarding long-term future planning, the panelists delve into putting forward new strategies and innovative approaches.
The conference also addressed the importance of “speaking the same language” in order to create policy coherence and better coordinate policy frameworks. Quoting President of the European Commission von der Leyen, the conference was concluded by Magnus Ovilius, Head of Sector Forecasting, Preparedness and Policy Monitoring, Chair of the EMN, DG HOME, European Commission: “I want this decade to be the Roaring Twenties of climate action and climate investment. Europe must lead this change. It is out last chance to stop climate change.”
The outputs from the conference are available at: EMN Swedish Presidency Conference - EMN (emnsweden.se)
