Climate change and migration

Widespread attention has recently been given to the issue of climate change-driven migration, both by scientists and policymakers. The triggers for the future population displacements can be both long-lasting processes, such as sea-level rise, and sudden climate events, such as disastrous hurricanes expected to be more frequent and intense. This as well as non-climatic factors will contribute to a variety of migratory flows, which will require different response ranging from humanitarian action to the redefi nition of migration policies. Climatechange driven migration is also a specifi c challenge to the development efforts in many countries and the confl ict prevention in some regions of the world. Moreover, it raises a set of new legal questions