Mr. Vice President, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour and a pleasure to be here today and to make
brief remarks on behalf of the International Organization for
Migration.  Founded 60 years ago in 1951, IOM is the
world’s leading international migration agency with 132
members and extensive field presence worldwide.

IOM’s objective is to promote humane and orderly migration
for the benefit of all. We are here today to make sure migration is
not forgotten as the world debates what to do about the impact of
climate change.  

I would like to make three key points:

First, the future is now. Today’s reality is that
climate change and environmental degradation are already triggering
migration and displacement. In the past decade alone, for example,
IOM undertook some 500 projects for a total of $280 million to
assist victims of environmental degradation.

We are witnessing the consequences of the gradual deterioration
of the environment, such as coastal erosion and
desertification.  These slow-onset disasters generate less
attention than extreme climatic events; yet these very
environmentally-induced crises have a more profound impact in the
long run. In these contexts, people are learning to use migration
as a strategy to adapt to their changing environment.

Second, the time for action is now. While there are still
many knowledge gaps, what we do know provides clear evidence that
action is urgently needed.

What we know for certain is the following:

(a) We do know that there is likely to be a steady rise in
the scale of migration and displacement, in particular within
certain countries--as a result of climate change;

(b) We also know that it is the poorest and most vulnerable
who will bear the brunt of the impact of climate change;
and 

(c) We cannot afford to delay assistance to vulnerable groups
and affected populations.

My third point is that migration should be part of our
response to climate change.  Environmentally-induced
migration need not be a worst case scenario. Even this type of
migration does contribute to development in countries of origin and
destination.

The key is to be proactive, and to direct support to vulnerable
communities before migration becomes a matter of sheer
survival.

We must develop now integrated solutions—solutions that
link climate change adaptation with disaster risk reduction and
development policies. Migration needs to become an integral part,
at global level, of the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change and the Hyogo Framework for Action.

With respect to the UNFCCC framework, the implications of climate
change for human mobility are still not considered in any of the
existing agreements. This is unfortunate and needs to change,
starting here at COP 16 in Cancun. In this regard, I am pleased to
note that migration and displacement are mentioned in the current
version of the negotiating text. It is important that this
reference remains and that the migratory consequences of climate
change be given due recognition in all future international
discussions on climate change as well.