The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in its Sixth Assessment Report states with high confidence that climate hazards are a growing driver of involuntary migration and displacement and are a contributing factor of violent conflict.

While the IPCC gives us a view of the likely future, we already know that 78% of 225 million displaced over the last decade due to disasters in the Asia Pacific region. Typhoons and floods, along with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions drove over 175 million from their homes.

Migration in the context of climate change may range from human mobility as a proactive adaptation strategy, to forced displacement in the face of life-threatening risks. It may give rise to both opportunities and challenges based on the impacts of those moving from their place of origin and the receiving communities. Migration could therefore serve as a solution to escape environmental and social stress, but it can also expose people to new hazards and risks.

Cumulative pressures on communities due to climate-induced hazards resulting in the reduction of ecosystem services, competition for resources, conflict and the threat of violence could amplify social fragility and vulnerabilities due to poverty, gender, age and disability. Given these, we need a deeper understanding of the links between climate, environmental change, and inclusive development – and the role migration plays in ensuring human security.

In the Philippines, we have witnessed climatic changes and environmental stress including (i) slow onset events such as rising temperature and increasing or decreasing rains; (ii) environmental changes due to deteriorating conditions of the land, forest, and ocean – crucial for people’s livelihoods; (iii) extreme weather events where disasters are as a result of natural and human-induced hazards; and (iv) conflict due to social unrest closely linked to natural resource pressures that influence internal migration flows.

Migration has been one of the coping strategies of Filipinos, either through voluntary adaption or due to involuntary displacement. Consecutive disasters have, in some cases, forced people to flee repeatedly, undermining their recovery and prolonging their displacement. In some cases, with the help of organizations such as IOM, resettlement becomes permanent, or people may evacuate periodically. This leaves those who choose to stay in hazard zones with decisions about survival and livelihoods, where some family members leave their communities or our country in order to seek employment that will provide for family needs.

Farming and fishing communities have suffered the most in the Philippines because of their dependence on natural resources that are sensitive to the impacts of climate change. Productivity losses in farming, fishing, and livestock raising are, however, not just economic. They impact social fabrics and cultural identities. Without alternative income and ways to meet their basic needs, survival clearly drives migration.

Understanding the contextual challenges and gendered impacts of migration remain due to data gaps. The Philippines is addressing this by conducting regular national migration surveys, and putting in place a local registry of migrants to systematically track and monitor entries and exits to inform local and national development planning.

Beyond bridging the data gap, what is needed today address climate-induced migration regionally and transformatively are:
Risk analysis that takes into account climate hazards and their impact on the multiple dimensions and intersectionality of vulnerabilities;
Science-informed anticipatory actions, such as the provision of early warning systems, regional, environmental, and urban planning, investments in social protection and resilient infrastructure.
Regional and global cooperation on the management and security of human mobility.
Lastly, on the means to achieve this, we must all press for recognition, especially at COP28 this year, that displacement and migration are matters that need to be central to any agreements on loss and damage and adaptation and climate finance.

These are just the first necessary steps to transform the movement of people into a driving force for human development and climate resilience.

I trust that the discussions this morning will provide us with valuable insights on the way ahead.

Thank you.