COP16 side event: Climate Change, Environment and Migration Alliance (CCEMA): Understanding impacts and finding solutions

Panellists:
 
- Moderator: Mr. William Lacy Swing, Director General of the International Organization for Migration
- Keynote: Dr. Hassan Mahmood, Minister for Environment of Bangladesh
- Prof. Konrad Osterwalder, Rector of the United Nations University
- Dr. Thomas Loster, Chairman of the Munich Re Foundation
- Mr. Jose‐Miguel Guzman, Chief of the Population and Development Branch, United Nations  Population Fund
 
The consequences of climate change for migration present humanity with an unprecedented challenge. At the same time, migration is not only the last resort or the worst case scenario as is still too often assumed; it also offers important opportunities for climate change adaptation.

The current UNFCCC negotiating text acknowledges the need to address the movement of people as a result of climate change (paragraph 6 (f) in FCCC/AWGLCA/2010/CRP.1). The international community needs to start acting today to address the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities associated with the movement of people in order to help the most vulnerable adapt to their changing reality.
 
What concrete steps need to be taken and by whom? The side‐event will seek to provide concrete suggestions to address this question.