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Mobility, Climate Change and Water Scarcity

IOM Regional Program on Mobility, Climate
Change and Water Scarcity

This desk review falls under the mandate of the IOM Regional Program on Mobility,
Climate Change and Water Scarcity. Climate change and water scarcity increasingly
threaten vulnerable communities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The MENA region is the most water-scarce in the world and is projected to be one of
those most severely affected by the impacts of climate change globally. Disasters like
floods, droughts and wildfires are likely to increase in scale and frequency due to climate
change, with severe impacts on people’s livelihoods, security, well-being and resilience.
Resultant displacement alongside resource and water scarcity can amplify disaster risk in
areas where large-scale movements strain already limited water sources. These dynamics
can combine to exacerbate tensions over access to key resources between different
community groups, thereby amplifying fragility.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has a proven history of developing
and implementing interventions that support communities and governments to prepare
for, reduce the risks of, and respond to the effects of climate change, environmental
degradation and disasters. Such interventions fall within the Migration, Environment and
Climate Change (MECC) portfolio. IOM seeks to further strengthen the knowledge and
evidence base on the nexus between mobility, climate change and water scarcity, and
inform future policy development and programming in this domain. To achieve this, the
organization has partnered with regional stakeholders to research the intersection of
factors such as migration, climate change, environmental degradation, water scarcity and
conflict interact and influence community resilience against climate and conflict shocks.
The project’s findings will provide IOM, partners and Governments with the knowledge
and tools to design and implement interventions that support community and
Government efforts to strengthen resilience against future shocks.
This desk review and subsequent research will support the program in delivering the
following:
• A comprehensive regional research report on the interaction between climate
change and environmental degradation, water scarcity, mobility, and community
cohesion dynamics.
• Policy guidance, including recommendations and pathways forward for
policymakers in the region and focus countries.
• One regional position paper on resilience building and effective water and climaterisk
management in conflict-affected areas.
• Evidence-based capacity building for relevant regional actors to better prepare for
and adapt to the evolving impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on
mobility and community cohesion.

The project will also create a platform for IOM, the United Nations system, and other
regional partners to share good practices, learn from each other and identify avenues
for future collaboration and cross-border interventions.

to read the full report please click on 

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