Feasibility study to generate statistics on climate-induced migration and ways forward

This feasibility study to generate statistics on climate-induced migration and ways forward sought to gather and review existing data on climate-induced migration, focussing on five Member States (France, Germany, Greece, Italy and Spain) and one candidate country (Türkiye), to inform an effective EU response. There is no universally agreed definition of climate-induced migration. The majority of population movements as a result of rapid onset events takes place within a country as opposed to across borders. While there is a comprehensive international and EU legal framework relating to migration and international protection, it does not explicitly mention environmental factors as grounds for granting refugee status or subsidiary protection.

The majority of Member States does not have any legal provision regarding climate-induced migration in place. Currently, Italy is the only Member State to include any form of protection for people affected by environmental conditions. There is a general lack of data on the extent of climate-induced migration, due to (i) a general lack of understanding and misuse of terminology when addressing the issue of human mobility in the context of disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation, (ii) data not being collected, and (iii) the complexity of reasons leading people to migrate.