Third National Forum Unveils Challenges and Opportunities in Guatemala’s Climate-related Migration Response

Guatemala is a major climate change and migration hotspotdue to its significant vulnerability and limited capacity to manage the impacts of climate change as well as to address the needs of those involved in different types of human mobility (Notre Dame University, 2022). According to IDMC (2023), by the end of 2022 there was a total of 74,000 internally displaced people produced by climate-related disasters in the country.

The Third National Forum on Migration and Climate Change, held on July 3, 2024 in Guatemala City, was co-hosted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINEX), and Guatemala Institute of Migration (IGM), along with the Alliance of Bioversity-CIAT and CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security, with support from the CGIAR initiatives on Fragility Conflict and Migration (FCM), Climate Resilience, and AgriLAC Resiliente. The event underscored the critical importance of discussing the intersection between migration and climate change to motivate government institutions, civil society organizations, local communities, academia, research centers, faith-based organizations, and international agencies, to find synergies that allow for a more comprehensive approach that generates impact on local initiatives and public policies.

The event showcased various perspectives on the topic. National-level representatives from the Ministries of Environment, Migration, and Foreign Affairs discussed existing national and international legal frameworks. Departmental-level representatives shared their experiences and lessons learned from previous departmental forums that took place in Izabal and Escuintla in May. Community representatives spoke about the impacts of climate change on their lives and its connection to migration. CGIAR presented findings from the study Community Voices on Climate, Peace and Securityin Guatemala that relate to displacement as well as seasonal and external migration, examining patterns their interlinkages with socioeconomic, security, environmental and climatic factors; and a second study that will be published in September this year exploring the intersection between climate change, human security, and irregular migration with a gender perspective and based on local knowledge and experiences.

The forum highlighted some significant challenges:

• Need for Data Generation: There is a challenge in developing effective policies and interventions due to a lack of robust evidence on the climate change and human mobility nexus.

• Systematic Policy Integration: Policies often fail to address the interconnectedness of climate, human mobility, peace, and security, leading to fragmented and ineffective responses.

Despite the challenges, during the Forum, numerous opportunities for innovation and collaboration were identified:

• Promoting multi-sectoral collaboration through the Interinstitutional Human Mobility and Climate Change Roundtables to address the interconnected nature of these challenges.

• Recognizing and leveraging the role of climate action in peace-building efforts as well as in addressing the root causes of irregular migration and displacement.

• Developing comprehensive data collection frameworks to inform evidence-based policies.

• Integrating human mobility considerations into national adaptation strategies.

• Developing regional adaptation roundtables to facilitate localized responses and foster collaboration among regional stakeholders.

• Inputs from the forum will inform Guatemala's position and contribution to the upcoming COP29 discussions, including the discussions around the access to the Loss and Damage Fund.

The Third National Forum on Migration and Climate Change in Guatemala highlighted the urgent need to address the complex interplay between climate change, human mobility, and security from a local perspective. The event provided a platform to explore innovative solutions and foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders, highlighting the growing urgency to integrate climate change and human mobility considerations into national and subnational policies. As a key player in this space, CGIAR's role in exploring these intersections and promoting innovative solutions backed by scientific evidence remains crucial. By fostering dialogue and collaboration, the Forum has paved the way for more integrated and effective responses to the challenges posed by climate change and migration.

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Authors: Nohelia Palou and Ignacio Madurga-Lopez, Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT

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