Migration and climate change

South American countries are considered to be highly vulnerable to the impacts of natural hazards, environmental degradation and the adverse effects of climate change. These processes considerably influence different forms of human mobility and the situation of vulnerable communities throughout the region. In effect, in recent years there have been in multiple countries disaster-related displacement processes, internal and international migration processes and even planned relocation cases of communities exposed to hazards. Current climate change projections underscore the need to advance ambitious interventions to mitigate the impact of climate change on human mobility. 
 
IOM’s activities in this thematic area fall within IOM’s Institutional Strategy on Migration, Environment and Climate Change 2021–2030, as well as IOM’s Regional Strategy for South America. The Institutional Strategy defines three strategic objectives for the organisation: the development of solutions for people to move; the development of solutions for people on the move; and the development of solutions for people to stay.  
 
In this regard, IOM has been implementing research, capacity building, policy making and operational support activities in the region to improve the approach to environmental migration.  IOM works with a wide range of partners in this thematic area, including governmental entities, civil society organisations, academia, regional processes and inter-governmental and United Nations agencies.