Migration in response to environmental change.
Date: 2015-09-23
Institutions: Directorate-General for Environment
Subjects: climate change, climate change policy, degradation of the environment, drought, flood, migration, natural disaster

Science for Environment Policy

THEMATIC ISSUE:

Migration in response to  
environmental change

September 2015
Issue 51

Environment

Science for Environment Policy
Migration in response to environmental change

Contents

Migration and environmental change: examining the relationship           3
Guest editorial from Professor Roger Zetter.

Exploring interlinked drivers of human migration in the context of 
environmental change 
      7 
A new framework on the effects of environmental change on human 
migration  has  been  developed  by  researchers,  which  can  be  used  to 
evaluate  policy  options,  or  develop  predictions  for  migration  under 
global change.

Extreme environmental events and human migration: no simple 
link 
8
A review of the available evidence on population movements associated 
with  extreme  weather  events  finds  that  people  could  become  immobile 
and vulnerable whether they stay at their homes or move to new locations.

Human  migration  as  a  result  of  climate  change:  how  should 
governments respond?  
9              
Researchers  examine  environmental  migration  and  make  policy 
recommendations  such  as  reducing  the  negative  effects  of  resettling 
populations. 

an 

opportunity 

human 
Migration: 
mobility  and  climate  change  adaptation  policies 
  10
Communities  affected  by  climate  change-induced  hazards  could 
become  more  resilient  with  the  help  of  National  Adaptation  Plans 
(NAPs), suggests new research.

integrate 

to 

need 

rights 
Environmental  migrants 
protection                    
11
A new study shows there is a lack of a legal framework and practices 
to protect people forced to migrate as a result of environmental stress 
and climate change.

human 

better 

Time to act on climate change induced migration   
12 
There  is  enough  existing  knowledge  on  climate  change  induced 
migration to put research evidence into practice and develop suitable 
policies, suggests a new study.

EU migration under climate change: impact depends on current 
infrastructure   
13
New  research  finds  that  an  increase  in  floods,  land  degradation  and 
drought  produced  by  climate  change  could  contribute  to  further 
migration  within  Europe,  as  well  as  from  neighbouring  countries.

Further reading             
  14-15
A  selection  of  related  publications  from  Science  for  Environment 
Policy.

The  contents  and  views  included  in  Science  for  Environment 
Policy are based on independent research and do not necessarily 
reflect the position of the European Commission.
© European Union 2015

This  Thematic  Issue  is  written  and  edited  by  the  Science 

Communication  Unit,  University  of  the  West  of  England 

(UWE), Bristol

Email: sfep.editorial@uwe.ac.uk

To cite this publication:

Science  for  Environment  Policy  (2015)  Migration  in  response 
to environmental change Thematic Issue 51. Issue produced for 
the  European  Commission  DG  Environment  by  the  Science 

Communication Unit, UWE, Bristol. Available at: 

http://ec.europa.eu/science-environment-policy

ISBN: 978-92-79-43987-2
ISSN: 2363-2763
DOI: 10.2779/60150

About Science for Environment Policy

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EDITORIAL

Migration and environmental 
change: examining the 
relationship

Over  coming  years,  migration  flows  related  to  climate  change  are 
expected to increase, particularly in the world’s poorest countries. This 
is  because  climate  change  is  expected  to  increase  the  frequency  and 
severity  of  extreme  environmental  events,  such  as  drought,  sea  level 
rise, floods and hurricanes. 

1. Context

These events not only damage infrastructure, 
homes  and  the  means  for  livelihoods,  but 
can  result,  both  directly  and  indirectly,  in 
increased human migration and displacement. 
For  example,  severe  floods  in  China  in  May 
2010,  and  Pakistan  in  the  summer  of  2010, 
were each reported to have displaced over 10 
million people. 

Although  one  of  the 
lowest  totals  ever 
recorded,  in  20141  over  12  700  people 
died  or  went  missing  as  a  result  of  natural 
disasters  (including  earthquakes,    hurricanes 
and  other  severe  weather  events)  and  man-
made  disasters.  In  2014  man-made  disasters 
for example included the failure of a dam in 
Zimbabwe  which  resulted  in  2000  people 
losing  their  homes;  and  maritime  disasters 
claimed 2 118 victims. 

The links between environmental changes and 
migration  are  extremely  complex.  Migration 
is often the result of a variety of layered causes 
– economic, social and political – which are 
accentuated  by  changing  environmental 
conditions 
frequently  by 
developmental  and  demographic  conditions. 
The  patterns  of  movement  of  environmental 
migrants can also vary – these may be internal 
within  a  country  or  international;  voluntary 

as  well 

as 

1.  http://media.swissre.com/documents/sigma2_2015_en_
final.pdf

or  forced;  temporary  or  permanent.  Forced 
migration might result from an environmental 
catastrophe  such  as  a  tsunami  or  flood,  or  a 
government-instigated relocation, while more 
gradual process of  migration could be caused 
by  slow  onset  environmental  deterioration, 
such  as  the  long-term  effects  of  drought  on 
agriculture experienced in parts of Morocco, 
Algeria, Tunisia, Somalia and Egypt.

Although  not  all  related  to  climate  change, 
extreme weather events in 2010 affected over 
320  million  people  –  the  highest  number 
this  century  –  according  to  the  2013 World 
Disasters  report2 
from  the  International 
Federation  of  Red  Cross  and  Red  Crescent 
Societies  (IFRC).   Torrential  rain  caused  the 
recent floods in Malawi in January 2015, which 
resulted in the displacement of more than 330 
000 people, according to UNICEF. Although 
a figure subject to much debate,  around 200 
million people will be permanently displaced 
by climate change by 2050, according to the 
the 2006 Stern Review on the Economics of 
Climate Change3. 

The United Nations Environment Programme 
(UNEP)  anticipates  that  climate  change  will 
affect  migration  flows  in  three  main  ways: 

2.World Disasters Report, 2013, IFRC page 228;
http://www.ifrc.org/Global/Documents/Secreta-
riat/201410/WDR%202014.pdf  
3. Stern, N. 2006 Stern Review on the Economics of 
Climate Change, HM Treasury, London.

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firstly  the  effects  of  warming    in  some  areas 
will gradually reduce agricultural productivity 
and degrade ecosystem services  such as clean 
water  and  fertile  soil.  Secondly,  the  increase 
in extreme weather events – especially heavy 
rainfall  and  resulting  flash  or  river  floods  in 
tropical regions – will affect increasing numbers 
of  people,  resulting  in  mass  displacement. 
Thirdly, sea-level rise will permanently destroy 
extensive  low-lying  coastal  areas  –  resulting 
in  the  permanent  relocation  of  millions  of 
people.

In Europe, environmental migration is already 
an issue that demands some attention. The EU 
has recognised that a comprehensive migration 
policy  needs  to  consider  environmentally 
triggered  migration  –  as  in  its  2013  Staff 
Working  Document 
the 
EU  Adaptation  Strategy,  ’Climate  change, 
environmental degradation and migration’, and 
is  aware  that  the  impact  of  earlier  European 
industrial policies seems to have contributed 
to  the  speed  of  environmental  changes  to 
come.  But what is actually coming? 

accompanying 

In  its  Fifth  Assessment  Report4,  the  IPCC 
projects  sea  level  rise  of  between  26  and  82 
cm  by  2100  –  and  the  UK  Meteorological 
Office  and  several  European  researchers 
have  used  a  180-190  cm  average  rise  as  the 
low-probability  upper  limit  by  2100.  Under  
intermediate warming scenarios, most models 
project  that,  by  2050,  north  Africa  and  the 
interior  of  southern  Africa  will  experience 
rainfall  decreases  during  the  growing  season 
that are more than the natural average.

Although  one  of  several  scenarios  possible 
by  2100,  a  two  metre  sea  level  rise  would 
inundate  large  areas  of  Europe,  parts  of 
the  northern  Mediterranean  (Venice),  as 
well  as  around  the  North  Sea  (UK  and 
Netherlands),  which  would  certainly  force 
relocations.    A    typology  of  possible  policy 
alternatives 
induced 
migration  is  mapped  out  by  the  EU’s  Staff 
Working Document. These cover prevention, 
adaptation, resettlement and management of 
future flows of people. Among these are both 
prevention of migration and the consideration 

for  environmentally 

4. http://ipcc.ch/report/ar5/

of migration itself as an adaptation strategy.

The  EU  is  currently  funding  the  study, 
Migration, Environment and Climate Change: 
Evidence for Policy (MECLEP)5. This research 
from  The  International  Organisation  for 
Migration,  aims  to  increase  knowledge  on 
the  relationship  between  migration  and 
including  climate 
environmental  change, 
change – and on how migration could benefit 
adaptation stategies for societies. 

Since  more  and  more  people  live  in  regions 
and  locations  highly  vulnerable  to  disasters 
and other impacts of climate change, planned 
relocation,  together  with  migration,  has  an 
important  role  to  play  in  future  strategies 
to  respond  and  adapt  to  such  impacts. 
Accordingly, States may use planned relocation 
as a potential policy option to protect affected 
populations.    National  relocation  guidelines 
are being developed as part of a multi-partner 
project funded by the European Commission, 
whose  overall  aim  is  to  address  a  legal  gap 
in 
regarding 
the  context  of  disasters.  The  project  brings 
together  the  UN  High  Commissioner  for 
Refugees (UNHCR), the Norwegian Refugee 
Council/Internal  Displacement  Monitoring 
Centre 
the  Nansen 
Initiative6.

cross-border  displacement 

(NRC/IDMC)  and 

2. Overview of content

This  Thematic  Issue  presents  key  pieces  of 
recent  research  which  examine  the  causes 
of  environmental  migration  and  several 
evidence-based reports and briefs identifying 
policy  options  for  Europe  in  dealing  with 
forced and voluntary relocations. The sources 
also examine the current state of human rights 
for  environmental  migrants  and  how  much 
evidence currently exists for particular courses 
of action at local and regional levels. 

It is clear that human migration is caused by 
a  complex  variety  of  factors.  In  ‘Exploring 
interlinked  drivers  of  human  migration 
in  the  context  of  environmental  change’ 
researchers  examine  the  main  reasons  for 

5. https://www.iom.int/meclep
6. http://www.unhcr.org/54082cc69.html

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5

migration  and  focus  on  how  environmental 
changes might influence them. The five main 
factors,  outlined  by  the  researchers,  which 
determine  whether  people  stay  or  go  are: 
economic, social, political, demographic and 
environmental. Environmental change affects 
all these main drivers, directly in the case of 
environmental  factors,  but  also  indirectly 
for the others. The researchers conclude that 
this framework can be used to help improve 
knowledge, evaluate policy options, or predict 
future movements.

The  underlying  causes  and  drivers  of 
environmental  migration  are  summarised  in 
‘Extreme environmental events and human 
migration: no simple link’. Researchers have 
reviewed the available evidence on population 
movements  associated  with  extreme  weather 
events  and  found  that  immobility  –  the  so 
called ‘trapped populations’ - is an especially 
relevant policy issue. Vulnerability to extreme 
events  and  the  ability  to  move  is  related  to 
social, economic and political capital. People 
with low to medium asset levels often become 
trapped,  in  their  homes  during  disasters  or 
find  that  their  vulnerability  increases  where 
they have been displaced, following a disaster. 

Where  slow  onset  enviromental  change 
occurs,  poor  people  may  become  ‘trapped’ 
because they cannot diversify their livelihoods, 
or they do not have the resources and capacity 
to  migrate.  The  researchers  conclude  that 
adaptation 
and  mechanisms 
ensuring rapid responses would establish clear 
choices for migrants to return home, adapt, or 
to move elsewhere.

strategies 

Migration  in  the  context  of  climate  change, 
combined  with  other  factors  such  as  war  or 
poverty, is increasing, but not all governments 
are  equipped  to  deal  with  the  effects  of 
migration on populations. The article, ‘Human 
migration as a result of climate change: how 
should  governments  respond?’,  summarises 
a recent policy brief, published by the Institute 
for Environment and Human Security of the 
United  Nations  University,  which  examines 
environmental  migration 
and  makes 
policy  recommendations.  One  of  the  main 
recommendations  is  that  if  environmental 
conditions are so severe that the state has to 

intervene to resettle populations, extreme care 
must be taken to reduce the negative effects of 
such a move. The brief also stresses that where 
relocation  takes  place  this  should  be  a  last 
resort and that it must be planned as part of 
a sustainable development programme rather 
than just a temporary measure. 

For  governments  facing  environmentally-
induced migration, there is a strong evidence 
base  for  the  value  of  implementing  mobility 
and  adaptation  policies,  highlighted  in  the 
‘Migration:  an  opportunity  to 
article, 
integrate  human  mobility  and  climate 
change  adaptation  policies’.  Based  on  a 
UN  report,  the  article  emphasises  the  need 
for National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) which 
will  help  communities  affected  by  climate 
change-induced  hazards  to  become  more 
resilient. The report stresses that displacement 
and relocation should be reduced. This could 
be  achieved  by  strengthening  community 
resilience through, for example, irrigation and 
water management systems to protect against 
drought.

Based  on  a  recent  book  chapter,  the  article 
‘Environmental  migrants  need  better 
human  rights  protection’  highlights  a 
human rights ‘protection gap’ for those people 
forced to migrate by environmental stress and 
climate change. The international legal status 
of those displaced by environmental factors is 
unclear; there is currently no recognition that 
people  displaced  for  environmental  reasons  
be given refugee status, a situation unlikely to 
change.  The  authors  focus  on  five  countries 
which are all highly affected by the impact of 
climate change: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, 
Kenya and Vietnam, none of  which currently 
offer  full  legal  or  normative  protection  to 
environmental migrants. 

While  these  countries  offer  compensation 
measures  for  people  who  lose  homes  and 
land  through  erosion,  the  researchers  found 
that these tended to benefit larger and more 
politically  powerful  landowners.  In  contrast, 
the  majority  of  displaced  people  become 
marginalised,  landless and have no alternative 
but to move to nearby villages or  towns and 
cities further afield.

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The 
two  final  articles  deal  with  how 
environmental migration is affecting the EU. 
The article, ‘Time to act on climate change 
induced  migration’  brings  together  some 
recommendations  from  the  2015  Time  to 
Act: how the EU can lead on climate change 
and migration report from the Heinrich Böll 
Foundation.  The  authors  of  this  think  tank 
report  stress  that  enough  knowledge  exists 
to  put  research  evidence  into  practice  and 
develop  suitable  policies.  They  reason  that 
the  EU  could  take  a  role  in  leading  policy 
developments to tackle the issue, for example 
by  promoting  greater  respect  for  the  human 
rights  of  migrants  and  creating  safe  legal 
channels for migration.  

UK  research  summarised  in  the  final  article, 
‘EU  migration  under  climate  change: 
impact  depends  on  current  infrastructure’ 
land 
reveals  that  an  increase  in  floods, 
degradation and drought produced by climate 
change could contribute to further migration 
within Europe, as well as from neighbouring 
countries.  Good  emergency  planning  and 
adaptation  policies  which  mitigate  the  wet 
and  dry  extremes  of  our  changing  climate 
will reduce these pressures on migration, the 
authors say. 

Conclusion 

Extreme or sudden environmental events and 
more  long-term  changes  linked  to  climate 
change  represent  what  is  possibly  the  most 
significant  future  global  policy  challenge.  In 
the context of increasing climate variability it 
is clear that adequate adaptation strategies and 
mechanisms  must  be  developed.    Creating 
these will surely take unprecedented levels of 
international collaboration and coordination, 
and  need  to  result  in  clear  choices  for 
migrants.    The  need  for  a  structured  and 
managed approach is particularly highlighted 
by the current migration crisis facing the EU.

The  research  collated  here  suggests  that  if 
policymakers  ensure  that  the  concerns  of 
vulnerable  social  groups  are  at  the  centre 
of  migration  policy,  this,  combined  with 
continuing efforts to adapt to environmental 
change,  will  help  to  improve  the  resilience 
of  affected  communities.  Inevitably,  more 
research  is  needed  to  formulate  appropriate 
policies  and  programmes,  yet  it  is  clear  that 
now, not tomorrow, is the time to prepare the 
ground. 

Professor Roger Zetter, Professor Emeritus in Refugee Studies

Refugee Studies Centre,
Oxford Department of International Development,
University of Oxford

 
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Contact: n.w.arnell@reading.ac.uk
Read more about: Sustainable development and policy assessment, Climate change and energy

Exploring interlinked drivers of 
human migration in the context  
of environmental change  

A framework on the effects of environmental change on human migration has been developed by 
researchers. It makes clear that environmental change can influence migration directly but also indirectly 
through impacts on economic, social and political factors. The framework can be used to guide further 
research, evaluate policy options, or develop predictions for migration under global change. 

“There are multiple 

drivers of migration and 

rather than trying to 

identify ‘environmental 

migrants’, which may 
be difficult or even 
impossible, it might be 

more helpful to examine 

all drivers of migration 

and then focus on how 

environmental changes 

might influence them.”

There are several global environmental changes which may cause human migration. There are 
several global environmental changes which may cause human migration. Climate change is, of course, a 
major factor. Sea level rise, changes in storm or cyclone frequency, changes in rainfall patterns, forest fires, 
increases in temperature and ocean acidification may result in loss of homes or livelihoods. Apart from 
climate change, land degradation, in the form of loss of nutrients, soil erosion, pollution and salinisation 
can also drive changes that lead to migration. Similarly, degradation of coastal and marine ecosystems, as a 
result of fishing as well as agricultural and urban pollution can impact livelihoods and prompt movements. 

landslides  can 
Extreme  environmental  events  such  as  hurricanes,  tsunamis,  floods  and 
income  and  therefore  encourage  population  displacement. 
also  cause 
However  these  displacements  tend  to  be  at  short  distance  and  often  within  the  same  state.

immediate 

loss  of 

However, there are multiple drivers of migration and rather than trying to identify ‘environmental 
migrants’,  which  may  be  difficult  or  even  impossible,  it  might  be  more  helpful  to  examine  all 
drivers  of  migration  and  then  focus  on  how  environmental  changes  might  influence  them. 

framework  produced 

The 
the 
researchers  identified  five  main  factors  which  influence  people’s  decision  to  stay  or  go: 

study  does  exactly 

that.  On  a 

large 

scale 

this 

for 

which 
obligations 

1.  Economic,  which  includes  employment  opportunities,  income  and  the  price  of  living.
2.  Social, 
opportunities 
practices.
or 
of 
land  ownership  policy.
4.  Demographic,  which  includes  population  density  and  structure  and  risk  of  disease.
5.  Environmental,  including  exposure  to  hazards  and  land  productivity  and  habitability.

for 
search 
as  marriage 
or 

educational 
or 

for  example  a  change 

3.  Political,  which 

inheritance 
conflict, 

security  and  policy 

to 
includes 

includes 
kin, 

discrimination 

persecution, 

incentives, 

the 
such 

levels 

in 

On  a  smaller  scale  personal  characteristics  such  as  age,  sex,  education,  wealth  or  marital  status 
may  all  have  an  influence.  Furthermore,  it  should  be  recognised  that  none  of  these  drivers  occur 
in isolation from each other. For example, population density is unlikely to drive migration alone, 
but  high  densities  in  combination  with  low  income  could  well  mean  that  people  decide  to  leave.

Environmental change might affect all these main drivers, directly in the case of environmental factors 
but  also  indirectly  for  the  others.  For  instance,  by  reducing  agricultural  or  fisheries’  productivity, 
environmental change can affect economic factors such as income, especially those of rural people. 
This may occur slowly, during gradual change of rainfall patterns, reducing outputs and incomes over 
long periods of time — but an event like a cyclone can also result in loss of livelihoods overnight. 

Political  drivers  can  also  be  affected  by  environmental  changes,  when,  for  example,  the  scarcity  of 
essential  resources  such  as  water  can  precipitate  or  exacerbate  conflict.  Policies  towards  reductions 
in  carbon  emissions  and  eventual  decarbonisation  may  also  result  in  shifts  of  the  locations  of 
areas  of  economic  growth,  again  influencing  people’s  decision  of  whether  and  where  to  move.

The  researchers  say  that  this  framework  can  be  used  in  a  number  of  ways,  helping  to  improve 
knowledge, evaluate policy options, or predict future movements. Importantly, it clarifies the interlinked 
nature  of  the  drivers  of  migration  and  how  these  might  be  affected  by  environmental  change.

Source: Black, R., 
Adger, W. N., Arnell, 
W. N., Arnell, N. W., 
Dercon, S., Geddes, 
A. & Thomas, D. 
(2011). The effect of 
environmental change 
on human migration. 
Global Environmental 
Change. 21S: S3–S11. 
DOI: 10.1016/j.
gloenvcha.2011.10.001.

 
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Contact: r.black@sussex.ac.uk  
Read more about: Sustainable consumption and production, Natural hazards, 

Extreme  environmental  events  and  human 
migration: no simple linkmigration While extreme environmental 

While  extreme  environmental  events,  such  as  floods  and  tsunamis,  may  trigger  migrations,  the 
underlying drivers of migration are far more complex and diverse, says new research. The research 
reviewed the available evidence on population movements associated with extreme weather events 
and found that people could find themselves ‘trapped’ and vulnerable, whether they stayed at their 
homes or moved to new locations. 

“Vulnerability to 
extreme events 
and the ability 
to move is 
related to wealth 
(social, economic 
and political). 
People of low to 
medium wealth 
often become 
trapped, either 
in situ during 
disasters or 
where they have 
been displaced, 
following a 
disaster.” 

Source: Black, R., Arnell, 
N. W., Adger, W. N., 
Thomas, D. & Geddes, 
T.  (2012). Migration, 
immobility and 
displacement outcomes 
following extreme events. 
Environmental Science 
and Policy, 27, S32–
S43. DOI:10.1016/j.
envsci.2012.09.001

Extreme natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes, can cause huge amounts of damage 
to life, property and economic activity. Large numbers of people have been displaced by recent 
weather-related  disasters,  such  as  floods  in  central  Europe,  Brazil,  Mozambique,  Thailand  and 
Kenya. Widespread floods also affected millions of people in Pakistan and China in 2010.

Over the next 50 years climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of extreme 
environmental events, leading to growing international concern about how to handle their effects.

Forming  part  of  this  concern  is  the  belief  that  extreme  environmental  events  are  linked  with 
human migrations and displacement, within and between countries, and that climate change may 
lead to an increase in corresponding migrations and displacements.

While the relationship between extreme environmental events and migration — such as people 
fleeing disaster prone areas — may appear simple, there is a growing body of scientific literature 
questioning this simple relationship.

New research has sought to review the available evidence on population movements associated 
with weather-related extreme events and examine the underlying causes and drivers of migration.

The authors found that the drivers of migration in response to extreme weather events were multi-
causal and complex. While an extreme environmental event could trigger migration, it may be just 
one of a number of underlying causes, including individual, social, economic and political causes, 
leading to the decision to move.

For example, almost half of the people displaced in Indonesia and Sri Lanka following the 2007 
Indonesian Tsunami were unable to return to their homes. This was partly due to the nature of 
the forcible relocations into ‘camps’ created to house them, and partly due to the creation of a 
coastal ‘exclusion zone’ intended to prevent return to an area now considered vulnerable to natural 
disasters.

Immobility  was  found  to  be  an  especially  relevant  policy  issue  for  migration.  Vulnerability  to 
extreme events and the ability to move is related to wealth (social, economic and political). People 
of  low  to  medium  wealth  often  become  trapped,  either  in  situ  during  disasters  or  where  they 
have been displaced, following a disaster. Their vulnerability means they are unable to move for 
financial, political or social reasons, while those of greater wealth are much more resilient and 
better able to move.

The  authors  suggest  that  putting  the  concerns  of  vulnerable  populations  at  the  centre  of 
development  policy  and  improving  adaptation  to  environmental  change  will  help  improve 
resilience in disaster risk reduction policies. However, they also caution that policymakers must 
be careful when they seek to reduce the vulnerability of populations in situ as this can be seen as 
a policy of ‘containment’, and risks leaving people trapped in conditions where they may be even 
more vulnerable if protection measures fail.

The authors conclude that extreme environmental events are likely to remain a significant policy 
challenge in the future. In the context of climate change and a future increase in extreme events, 
adequate adaptation strategies and mechanisms must be put in place to ensure rapid responses 
with  clear  choices  for  those  displaced  to  return  home  or  to  move  elsewhere.  The  existence  of 
these choices may, the authors say, determine whether future policy will be needed to give legal 
protection to displaced people.

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Contact: warner@ehs.unu.edu
Read more about: Climate change, Sustainable development and policy assessment

Human migration as a result of climate 
change: how should governments respond?   

Human  migration  as  a  result  of  climate  change  is  now  a  reality.  People  across  Africa,  Asia  and  Latin 
America are moving in response to unpredictable rainfall patterns. The governments of Bangladesh, Papua 
New Guinea and small island states, such as the Solomon Islands, have already had to resettle people 
because of rising seas. A recent policy brief, published by the Institute for Environment and Human Security 
of the United Nations University, examines this issue and makes recommendations for policy

“...it is vital that 
states do not wait 
until migration 
has begun before 
making provisions 
for access to 
housing, land 
and property for 
people displaced 
by climate change” 

Source: Warner, K., Afifi, 
T., Kälin, W., Leckie, S., 
Ferris, B., Martin, S. F. 
& Wrathall, D. (2013). 
Changing Climate, 
Moving People: Framing 
Migration, Displacement 
and Planned Relocation. 
Policy Brief No. 8. 
Bonn: United Nations 
University Institute 
for Environment and 
Human Security (UNU-
EHS). https://collections.
unu.edu/eserv/
UNU:1837/pdf11213.
pdf  

1.Environmental Changes 
and Forced Migration 

Scenarios (EACH-FOR) was 

supported by the European 

Commission under the Sixth 

Framework Programme. See: 

http://www.ccema-portal.

org/article/read/each-for-

project-publications.
2.Warner, K., et al. (2012). 
Where the Rain Falls: 

Climate Change, Food and 
Livelihood Security, and 
Migration. Global Policy 
Report of the Where the 
Rain Falls Project. 

The authors explored different facets of human movements as a result of climate change. They 
discuss the importance of recognising that these movements can be internal within a country or 
international; voluntary or forced; and either temporary or permanent. They can be the result 
of displacement, migration or planned relocation. Importantly, the needs of affected people can 
vary across all of these categories.

Such movements occur in response to several different impacts of climate change. Rising sea 
levels,  desertification  or  permafrost  melt  may  render  some  areas  uninhabitable.  Increased 
frequency of storms, floods, cyclones and heat-waves may force people to relocate, sometimes in 
the long term. Changes to regional weather systems may reduce access to essential resources such 
as water, as well as affecting livelihoods, especially fishing and farming. Finally, these impacts, 
either in isolation or combined, may result in conflict, again displacing people. 

Research  as  part  of  the  EU-funded  EACH-FOR1  project  examined  22  case  studies  in  six 
regions of the world to demonstrate that rapidly changing environmental conditions are now 
driving  changes  to  migration  patterns.  Another  project,  focusing  on  refugees  from  Ethiopia 
and Uganda found that worsening weather patterns caused resource scarcity, exacerbating pre-
existing conflicts. In addition, these conflicts severely affected the refugees’ abilities to deal with 
climate-related stresses. 

Research  in  Africa,  Asia  and  Latin  America2  revealed  that  seasonal,  temporary  and  even 
permanent migration is already being used to manage risks associated with rainfall variability 
and food insecurity, which are both worsening under climate change. Most migration is within 
national borders, the researchers found, and the majority of migrants are men, although the 
number of women is rising.   

The  policy  brief  emphasises  the  need  to  distinguish  between  resilient  and  vulnerable  groups 
of people, both of which might migrate in response to climate change. Resilient people (those 
which tend to have more assets, education and access to adaptation strategies) use voluntary 
migration as a way of enhancing their resilience. This might involve a move to a non-agricultural 
job in the city, for example. Conversely, vulnerable people have fewer assets and may be forced 
to move for survival, in search of food, or work to buy food. 

The brief ’s authors recommend that, where possible, policy should support a transition toward 
livelihoods that are not climate dependent. Particular focus should be given to those that are 
vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. For example, these individuals should be prioritised 
by national schemes for improved education or vocational training. Indeed, it is vital that states 
do not wait until migration has begun before making provisions for access to housing, land and 
property for people displaced by climate change. If conditions worsen to the point where the 
state must intervene to relocate populations, extreme care must be taken to reduce the negative 
effects of such a move. The brief highlights some key recommendations.

First, they assert, any forced relocation — where realistic options to choose from are no longer 
available — must be an absolute last resort. Second, planning is essential and any scheme should 
be part of a new sustainable development programme rather than a temporary measure. Third, 
it is vital that people to be moved are consulted on how the process could be best designed to 
work for them. Finally, the process does not end once people have moved. In their new homes 
they should be supported to restore and improve their livelihoods and incomes. 

Policy should be designed to foster understanding and co-operation on this subject between 
neighbouring countries. While there is as yet no recognition that climate-displaced people be 
given refugee status, the human rights of climate-displaced people must be recognised. The brief 
concludes that more information on the complex impacts of migration and displacement is vital 
to create effective policy agreements for the future.

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Contact: warner@ehs.unu.edu   
Read more about: Climate change and energy, Sustainable development and policy assessment

Migration: an opportunity to integrate
human mobility and climate change
adaptation policies 

The migration, displacement and relocation of people needs to be properly addressed in climate 
change  adaptation  plans,  says  a  UN  report.  Among  the  report’s  recommendations,  National 
Adaptation  Plans  (NAPs)  should  ensure  that  communities  affected  by  climate  change-induced 
hazards, such as flooding and drought, are more resilient. Migration can also be be seen as an 
adaptation strategy in itself.

“The report 
highlights the 
importance of a 
strong evidence 
base for mobility 
and adaptation 
policies.... 
Evidence should 
also come from 
consultations 
with affected 
communities...”

Source: Warner, K., Kälin, 
W., Martin, S., Nassef, 
Y., Lee, S., Melde, S., 
Entwisle Chapuisat, H., 
Franck, M. & Afifi, T. 
(2014). Integrating Human 
Mobility Issues within 
National Adaptation Plans. 
Policy Brief No. 9. Bonn: 
United Nations University 
Institute for Environment 
and Human Security 
(UNU-EHS). Available 
from: http://collections.
unu.edu/eserv/UNU:1838/
pdf11800.pdf 

Climate change’s effects can lead to large-scale movement of people, within and between 
countries. It can occur when communities lose habitat and agricultural livelihoods to rising sea 
levels, floods, drought and other environmental hazards. This movement is already taking place 
in some areas around the world.

The report considers how to link human mobility issues with National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) 
to  improve  adaptation  and  mobility  policies.  NAPs  are  being  created  by  the  least  developed 
countries that are party to the UNFCCC’s Cancun Adaptation Framework. The EU and its 
Member States help fund and support adaptation efforts in developing countries, and provided 
€7.34 billion to ‘fast-start finance’ in 2010–2012. 

Different types of mobility require different types of policy. As well as international migration, 
the report addresses displacement and planned relocation. Displacement occurs when people 
are  forced  to  move  within  their  countries,  as  well  as  abroad,  to  flee  local  disasters.  Planned 
relocation is overseen by authorities and refers to the process of moving people out of disaster-
affected areas.

Migration can be seen as both an opportunity and a challenge, the report says. It is important 
to reduce the pressures of migration, and participants involved in consultations in the Pacific 
region (as part of the Nansen Initiative) have emphasised that moving from their homes is a last 
resort and that they strongly support climate change mitigation efforts. 

However, where migration does occur, it can have some positive effects. For example, voluntary 
migration from the central Pacific island nation of Kiribati has enabled migrants to send money 
home that strengthens the resilience of their community to climate change.

Movement  can  also  place  migrants  in  vulnerable  situations,  however.  Kiribati’s  government 
has therefore included training (e.g. in nursing, teaching and the English language), as well as 
cultural acclimatisation training, for citizens as part of its ‘migration with dignity’ plans. These 
skills will help Kiribati’s citizens settle abroad, and provide opportunities for adaptation when 
mitigation is no longer possible.

Displacement and relocation should be reduced, according to the report. This can be achieved 
by strengthening community resilience through, for example, irrigation and water management 
systems  to  protect  against  drought,  and  by  enhancing  food  security  and  livelihoods.  Early 
warning systems for hazards, shared environmental resources and measures to reduce conflict 
between communities could also be considered in NAPs. Such measures may help reduce the 
kind  of  displacement  seen  in  the  Greater  Horn  of  Africa,  where  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
people were forced to move within or from Somalia during 2010–2011 droughts.

The  report  highlights  the  importance  of  a  strong  evidence  base  for  mobility  and  adaptation 
policies. This can be developed by looking at existing research and projects, such as the EU-
funded  project  to  help  Pacific  island  countries  manage  the  impacts  of  climate  change  on 
migration. Evidence should also come from consultations with affected communities, to take 
local knowledge into account.

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Contact: roger.zetter@qeh.ox.ac.uk and morrissey.james1@gmail.com
Read more about: Natural hazards, Sustainable development and policy assessment

Environmental migrants need 
better human rights protection 

A human rights ‘protection gap’ exists for people forced to migrate by environmental stress and 
climate change, according to researchers. The lack of a legal framework and practices to protect 
‘environmental refugees’ stems from the historic and political context of migration issues and 
land access rights more broadly, the researchers say in a recently published paper.

“...it is not just 
material rights, 
such as shelter 
and sanitation, 
which are 
important for 
migrants. Political 
rights are very 
important too 
– such as the 
opportunity for 
migrants to 
contribute to 
decisions about 
resettlement 
schemes.”

Source: Zetter, R. & 
Morrissey, J. (2014) 
Environmental Stress, 
Displacement and the 
Challenge of Rights 
Protection.  In: Martin 
S., Weerasinghe, S., 
and Taylor, A., (eds) 
Humanitarian Crises 
and Migration: Causes, 
Consequences and 
Responses. London: 
Routledge. Ch. 9.

There are a number of possible arguments and reasons for why populations displaced by floods, 
droughts and other environmental hazards do not have the same legal protection as other types 
of migrants, such as refugees fleeing war (protected through the UN’s Geneva Convention relating 
to the status of refugees, among other instruments). 

For instance, it may be more challenging to define the migration as ‘forced’ or to define the category 
of affected people. There is also the question of who should take responsibility to ensure migrants are 
safe, treated with dignity and empowered, and how this responsibility should be managed. Should 
countries that emit high levels of CO2 be responsible, for example, and should the migration be dealt 
with through a short-term humanitarian response to disaster?

This  paper,  a  chapter  in  a  2014  book,  argues  that  environmental  stress-induced  migration  and 
displacement is best explained by historical and political factors. It reaches this conclusion by analysing 
the cases of five countries which are all highly vulnerable to climate change’s impacts: Bangladesh, 
Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Vietnam. None offer legal protection to environmental migrants.

Migration, more generally, is a highly sensitive issue in these countries. For instance, in Kenya, where 
land is the main source of livelihoods, there is ongoing use of eviction (i.e. forced migration) and 
displacement as tools for politically excluding communities, claiming power and accessing resources, 
the paper’s authors say. These conditions, which stem from Kenya’s colonial history, underlie many 
recent  instances  of  violence  and  conflict  in  the  country.  Until  such  complex  dynamics  of  wider 
migration  and  land  rights  issues  are  resolved,  the  authors  assert  that  a  rights-protection  gap  for 
Kenya’s environmental migrants will remain. 

Similarly, Bangladesh has a very politically charged, recent history of migration. Huge population 
movements  following  the  1947  partition  of  India  and  Pakistan  left  a  legacy  of  ‘political,  social 
and cultural trauma’, the authors state. Such traumatic associations mean that ‘displacement’ and 
‘displaced people’, and the rights of displaced people, are not yet explicitly recognised in national 
legal and political frameworks.

The  authors  include  a  case  study  of  how  rights  are  not  protected  for  people  forced  to  move  by 
‘silent and incremental’ river bank erosion in Bangladesh. This environmental problem is thought 
to displace one million people every year. There are compensation measures for people who lose 
homes and land through erosion, but these tend only to benefit larger and more politically powerful 
landowners, a phenomenon perhaps linked to the lack of transparency. The authors assert that, in 
contrast, the majority of displaced people become increasingly marginalised and impoverished, and 
either become landless labourers in nearby villages or move to towns and cities.

The paper also points out that, in the five countries considered, migration due to climate change is 
seen as a future challenge and takes less priority than more immediate developmental and poverty 
reduction  goals.  However,  it  also  posits  that  these  countries’  still-fragile  governing  bodies  have  a 
general reluctance to address human rights issues.

It also argues that it is not just material rights, such as shelter and sanitation, which are important 
for  migrants.  Political  rights  are  very  important  too  —  such  as  the  opportunity  for  migrants  to 
contribute to decisions about resettlement schemes.

 
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Contact: silvia.brugger@eu.boell.org    
Read more about: Climate change and energy, Sustainable development and policy assessment

Time to act on climate 
change induced migration 

The migration, displacement and relocation of people needs to be properly addressed in climate change adaptation plans, A A A A   

A recent report presents a series of recommendations for how the EU could address the complex issue 
of  climate  change-induced  migration.  There  is  now  sufficient  evidence  to  show  that  environment-
related migration is occurring, and the time is right to put recommendations into practice, the report’s 
authors argue.

“The report 
highlights the 
fact that the 
vast majority 
of the world’s 
climate-
induced refugee 
population 
currently stay 
within their 
home regions 
– and a lack 
of adaptive 
capacity will 
put increasing 
pressure on their 
homelands....” 

Source: Ammer, M., 
Mayrhofer, M, Randall, 
A. & Salsbury, J. (2014) 
TIME TO ACT - How the 
EU Can Lead on Climate 
Change and Migration. 
Brussels: Heinrich-Böll-
Stiftung. Available from: 
http://eu.boell.org/
en/2014/06/12/time-act-
how-eu-can-lead-climate-
change-and-migration 

Climate change has important implications for migration; for example, drought can degrade 
livelihoods and weaken people’s ability to cope with poverty and conflict. The report highlights 
the fact that the vast majority of the world’s climate-induced refugee population currently stay 
within their home regions – and therefore the combination of population growth, the increase 
in the quantity and intensity of extreme environmental events and a lack of adaptive capacity 
will put increasing pressure on their homelands.

The EU has recognised the problem of climate change related migration.  For example, its 2013 
document ‘Climate change, environmental degradation and migration’ highlights the need for 
further  analysis  and  says  a  comprehensive  migration  policy  should  consider  environmentally 
triggered  migration.  The  EU  has  also  funded  a  number  of  research  projects  to  improve  our 
understanding of the issue.

The  new  think  tank  report  says  that  the  time  has  now  come  to  put  research  evidence  into 
practice and develop suitable policies. A holistic policy approach is needed to tackle the multi-
dimensional nature of human movement in response to environmental degradation, it reasons.

It  is  difficult  to  develop  well-designed  policies  that  address  this  challenge  because  the  links 
between climate change and migration are very complex. Furthermore, there is currently no legal 
definition of an ‘environment-related migrant’. The issue is further complicated by unresolved 
questions of who is accountable and financially liable for climate-change-triggered migration. 

However, complexity is not a reason to avoid tackling this issue, the report argues. It is also 
unlikely  that  large  numbers  of  people  will  permanently  move  to  Europe  solely  for  climate-
related reasons. 

Women are seen as especially vulnerable to climate change’s effects in many countries, because 
a lack of resources, education and decision-making powers, among other reasons, can restrict 
their mobility. However, the authors also make the point that some forms of migration reduce 
vulnerability.  For  example,  there  is  evidence  that  some  farmers  in  climate-stressed  countries 
move to cities during periods of water shortage to find temporary work. The report’s authors 
believe that the EU should take a leading role in addressing the phenomenon. They recommend 
that EU funding streams should create mechanisms for people to move from vulnerable areas 
and  EU  policies  relating  to  environmental  migration  should  give  vulnerable  groups  special 
consideration.

The authors also recommend that language is considered carefully in institutional communication 
dealing with migration, as choice of words can express an opinion. For instance, calling someone 
an ‘immigrant’ or an ‘emigrant’ or a ‘climate refugee’ all have different implications, and may 
either reinforce or deconstruct negative stereotypes about migrants. 

The authors emphasise that it is sensible to focus on preventing displacement in the first place. 
However,  this  should  not  be  the  sole  focus  of  migration  policy,  which  should  also  consider 
sharing the responsibility of migration in affected regions.

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Contact: mark.mulligan@kcl.ac.uk
Read more about: Climate change and energy, Natural hazards, Sustainable development and policy analysis

EU migration under environmental 
change: impact depends on  
current infrastructure 

In the future, environmental changes such as an increase in floods, land degradation and drought 
could result in changes in migration patterns in Europe, researchers write in a recent analysis. 
It  is  difficult  to  predict  these  exact  migration  patterns,  however,  as  they  are  determined  by  a 
complex interplay of economic, political and social factors with environmental change, as well as  
adaptive capacity.

“Environmental 
change, such 
as an increase 
in flooding 
and drought, 
is inevitable 
in Europe and 
beyond, which is 
likely to increase 
pressures on 
people to move 
away from 
more hazard-
prone and 
degraded areas, 
particularly from 
south to north, 
from south to 
east and from 
rural to urban 
areas.”

Source: Mulligan, M., 
Burke, S. & Douglas, C. 
(2014). Environmental 
Change and Migration 
Between Europe and Its 
Neighbours, in People on 
the Move in a Changing 
Climate (pp. 49-79). 
Springer; Netherlands.

Environmental  factors  already  influence  population  movement  in  Europe.  For  example, 
desertification  in  northern  Africa  is  partly  behind  a  recent  increase  in  migration  from  the  region 
to  the  European  Mediterranean.  The  only  recent  displacement  of  people  to  Europe  from  natural 
environmental causes was from Montserrat in the West Indies, after the volcanic eruption that started 
in July 1995, which devastated much of the island. Also, many Europeans seeking better quality of life 
may move to other parts of the continent with a more agreeable climate; tourism in such areas would 
be expected to increase.

The analysis by UK researchers considers the potential impacts of environmental change on migration 
both within Europe and to Europe from neighbouring Mediterranean countries in northern Africa and 
the Middle East. 

Economic,  political,  social  and  cultural  factors  are  the  main  drivers  of  migration.  However,  they 
cannot  be  considered  in  isolation  of  each  other  and  can  be  influenced  by  environmental  factors. 
For example, the desertification in northern Africa has exacerbated poverty and contributed to the 
population movement. This complexity of drivers does make it difficult to predict the exact effects of 
the environment on migration.

Environmentally forced migration is currently rare in Europe, but there is a possibility that environmental 
change will play a bigger role in human movement in the future. Climate change will bring an increased 
risk of hazards, such as flooding and water shortages, in and around Europe.

The analysis highlights hazards in northern Africa and the Middle East which may indirectly, and in 
conjunction with other factors, increase migration levels into Europe. For example, dryland cropping 
agricultural techniques in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt are very vulnerable to the effects of drought. 
A 1-metre rise in sea levels would have a major impact on populations in the southern Mediterranean 
around the Nile delta, affecting around 6 million people and causing the loss of 10% of arable land.

Although people in less developed countries are most vulnerable to environmental degradation, Europe 
has some vulnerabilities too. These could increase pressures on population movement. For instance, there 
is significant risk of flooding around the North Sea, despite flood defences being in place. Increased rainfall 
and snowmelt in future will increase this risk. Furthermore, a catastrophic 2m sea level rise would inundate 
large areas of Europe, in parts of the northern Mediterranean (Venice), as well as around the North Sea 
(UK and Netherlands). This could force populations to move from large areas in these countries.

Environmental change, such as an increase in flooding and drought, is inevitable in Europe and beyond, 
which is likely to increase pressures on people to move away from more hazard-prone and degraded 
areas, particularly from south to north, from south to east and from rural to urban areas. The analysis 
also comments that highly urbanised and developed parts of northern Europe could actually be the 
most vulnerable to climate change’s impacts, owing to their dense populations and infrastructure.

However, good emergency planning and adaptation policies which mitigate the wet and dry extremes 
of our changing climate will reduce these pressures on migration, the authors say. They note that more 
significant investments iin the northern Mediterranean and northern Europe, than in the southern 
Mediterranean and southern Europe. They also note that, although the wealthier northern countries 
may seem more adaptable, these areas also host the greatest populations and intensive agriculture near 
the limits of water sustainability, so may actually be more vulnerable to loss of ecosystem services and 
increased climate change hazards.

  
 
L I F E   P R O J E C T S

15

Further Reading 

You may also be interested in reading the following publications from Science for Environment Policy.

News Alert articles

Mediterranean countries use more natural resources than their ecosystems provide
In  the  Mediterranean  region  the  demand  for  natural  resources  and  ecological  services  is  two  and  half  times  greater 
than ecosystems’ capacity to provide them, recent research has found. To meet this demand, countries rely on imports, 
exposing themselves to price volatility and potential resource shortages. According to the authors, a 10% increase in 
global prices would particularly impact vulnerable countries such as Jordan, which would see its trade balance worsening 
by 2.4% of its gross domestic product.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/mediterranean_countries_use_more_natural_
resources_than_their_ecosystems_provide_426na1_en.pdf

Mediterranean land degradation threatens food security
Climate  change,  tourism  and  population  growth  are  all  accelerating  land  degradation  in  the  Mediterranean  region, 
according to recent research. This can have severe impacts: the amount of available agricultural land per capita in the 
region could have dropped by half by 2020, compared with 1961, the study estimates.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/mediterranean_land_degradation_threatens_
food_security_391na6_en.pdf

El Niño Southern Oscillation can be used to predict global flood risk anomalies
Unusually warm or cool Pacific sea surface temperatures, known as El Niño and La Niña, can be used to reliably predict 
anomalies in flood risk for river basins that cover 44% of the Earth’s land surface, a new study has shown. The researchers 
also quantified overall flood damage by combining information on flood risk with estimates of damage to economies and 
numbers of people at risk. This could help improve flood disaster planning, they say.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/El_Nino_southern_oscillation_used_to_predict_
global_flood_anomalies_400na3_en.pdf

Climate change to shift global spread and quality of agricultural land
In a recent report, German researchers have reviewed scientific evidence of the likely consequences of climate change. 
They highlight that, in addition to the risks for biodiversity,climate change is also predicted to increase security risks 
between countries. They suggest that the European Union should reinforce its position, especially within the context of 
the Kyoto Protocol and should support developing countries.

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/climate_change_to_shift_global_spread_quality_
agricultural_land_403na1_en.pdf

Climate change and security risks
International trade in wood and wood products affects forest stocks around the world. A recent study examines the 
relationship between changes in forest cover and international timber trade at global level. If finds that some wealthier 
nations with low population density can maintain forest areas while exporting wood; but other, usually poorer, nations, 
are losing forests through domestic and global demand for wood.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/263na2.pdf 

To  view  any  of  these  in  full,  please  visit:  http://ec.europa.eu/science-environment-policy,  and  search  according  
to publication date.

Thematic Issues

changes  such  as  an  increase  in  floods,  land  degradation  and  drought  could  result  in 
changes  in  migration  patterns  in  Europe,  researchers  write  in  a  recent  analysis.  It  is 
Flooding (June 2013)

Flooding can cause profound and lasting effects on people, business and agriculture. This Thematic Issue brings together 
recent research that provides insight into changes in European flood risk policy, that could help policymakers deal with 
the projected increases in flood risk. 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/40si_en.pdf

Resource Efficiency (May 2011)
Humanity is demanding ever greater economic productivity at a time when natural resources, the input that feeds this 
productivity, are dwindling. To reduce pressure on key assets, such as water, minerals, fuel and land, we must use less of 
them, and we need to increase the efficiency and productivity of resources that we do use, to achieve more output per 
input. Put simply, we must do more with less. This Thematic Issue reports on research which helps guide the way to a 
more resource efficient society.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/26si_en.pdf 

Future Briefs

Public risk perception and environmental policy (October 2014) 
How does the public perceive environmental risk? What are the pitfalls of communicating uncertainty? Understanding 
why over- or under-estimations occur is essential to finding the right policy balance. 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/public_risk_perception_environmental_policy_
FB8_en.pdf

introduced 

Future  Briefs  are  a  feature  of 
in  2011, 
the  service, 
which  provide  expert  forecasts  of 
environmental  policy  issues  on  the 
horizon.  In  addition  to  Future  Briefs, 
Science  for  Environment  Policy  also 
publishes a weekly News Alert which 
is  delivered  by  email  to  subscribers 
and provides accessible summaries of 
key scientific studies.

In-depth  Reports  are  a  feature  of 
the service, introduced in 2012, which 
take  a  comprehensive  look  at  the 
latest science for key policy topics. In 
addition to In-depth Reports, Science 
for Environment Policy also publishes 
a  weekly  News  Alert  which 
is 
delivered by email to subscribers and 
provides accessible summaries of key 
scientific studies.

Science 
for  Environment  Policy 
publishes a weekly News Alert which 
is  delivered  by  email  to  subscribers 
and  provides  accessible  summaries 
of key scientific studies.

Thematic Issues are special editions 
of  the  News  Alert  which  focus  on  a 
key policy area. 

http://ec.europa.eu/science-

http://ec.europa.eu/science-

environment-policy

environment-policy

http://ec.europa.eu/science-

environment-policy

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