Migration, Environment, Disaster and Climate Change Data in the Eastern Caribbean:Antigua and Barbuda Country Analysis

Due to its exposure and vulnerability, Antigua and Barbuda has recently been ranked as the fourth most vulnerable country to the impacts of climate change worldwide. The twin-island State has recorded a host of disasters over the years, with adverse impacts on the population. With climate scenarios pointing to an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, (forced) population movements are likely to become a frequent phenomenon in the country. Despite underscoring the need for an integrated approach in addressing vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, measures to address climate change and disaster-related movements do not feature prominently in existing legal and policy frameworks at the national level. Among the 14 policies and legislations related to migration, environment, climate change and disasters that were identified at the national level, only the Second National Communication on Climate Change acknowledges human mobility in the context of climate and other environmental impacts. In addition to emphasizing that the combination of poverty with the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events would influence rural–urban and international migration patterns, the Second National Communication on Climate Change draws attention to the impacts of sea level rise and flooding events on potential mass human displacement. In turn, the Emergency Shelter Policy aims to provide temporary shelter to those who have lost their homes in the wake of a disaster. The limited attention to the topic suggests that there is a need for enhanced policy and planning to effectively address the adverse impacts of climate change and disasters, and the potential to accentuate human mobility patterns in the country. In this light, this study assesses the national data systems on migration, environment, disaster, and climate change in Antigua and Barbuda