Committees

Climate change experts discuss impact on migration

11 March 2020

The EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee takes evidence from experts on climate change and migration.

Background

As part of a series of evidence sessions by House of Lords committees on climate change and COP26, the EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee will hear from a number of academics and researchers about how climate change is affecting migration. The Committee will also discuss what action the UK Government should take in light of its presidency of COP26, the UN climate change conference the UK will be hosting in November.

Witnesses

Wednesday 11 March 2020, Committee Room 3, Palace of Westminster

At 11.00am:

  • Professor Roger Zetter, Emeritus Professor and former Director of the Refugee Studies Centre
  • Dr Caroline Zickgraf, Deputy Director of The Hugo Observatory

At 12.00pm:

  • Oli Brown, Associate Fellow, Energy, Environment and Resources programme, Chatham House
  • Alex Randall, Climate Change and Migration Project Manager at the Climate and Migration Coalition
  • Dr Ricardo Safra de Campos, Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Exeter

Possible Questions

Topics likely to be covered in the session include:

  • How great a problem does climate change and migration pose? What is the most compelling piece of evidence you can provide to support this?
  • How do you think this type of migrant should be classified? How useful is the term ‘climate change refugee'?
  • Does granting refugee status to this group risk placing an insupportable burden on agencies responsible for supporting refugees?
  • Should countries including the UK be preparing for large-scale influxes of people migrating as a result of climate change? If so, what steps should we take in preparation?
  • As host of COP26, what lead should the UK be taking on the issue of climate change and migration, and is it taking the steps that you think are necessary?

Further information