WRC, CSIR host dialogue on environmental refugees, climate-induced migration

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The CEO of the WRC Dhesigen Naidoo says the project wants to ignite more academic interest for Southern Africa and the developing world initiating parallel discussions around policy and legislation.

CSIR researchers are currently investigating the impact of climate-induced migration or environmental refugees in the Southern African region, with a particular focus on internal displacement as part of a multi-funded project dubbed 'Kukimbia' which means “to flee” in kiSwahili. The project looks at how environmental factors lead to people moving from their homes for a life elsewhere.

Legislative frameworks lacking

CSIR principal researcher Dr Inga Jacobs-Mata says more people are displaced because of environmental reasons than politics, war or discrimination, yet there are no legislative frameworks that provide support for this group.

The project focuses on the regional, national and sub-national policy landscape and the preparedness of southern African countries to respond to future internal and cross-border displacements as a result of environmental disasters with the goal of developing a social research capability on climate-induced human movement patterns. The aim of the dialogue is to introduce this project to a broader community of practice, identify pertinent research questions and focus areas based on practical experiences from practitioners and policymakers working in the field.