The Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), António Vitorino, and Climate Justice Activist, Greta Thunberg, are calling for immediate action and increased solidarity to tackle the impacts of climate change on human mobility.
Greta and DG Vitorino found much common ground during a recent discussion about the impact of global climate change on human mobility. The Greta Thunberg Foundation has donated EUR 275,000 (USD 269,000) to support IOM’s emergency response to the historic floods in Pakistan and the drought in Somalia.
“As you said before, António, we need to support people before they move, we need to support people while they move, and afterward, it’s a chain of events,” Greta said. “We need to think holistically like in any other emergency.”
DG Vitorino replied: “Absolutely. And I’m fully aligned with what Greta just said. I think that the young generation is a source of inspiration and of resilience and being relentless in addressing this huge challenge from our experience in the field.”
With 20 million people displaced every year due to the effects of climate change, there is an urgent need to prevent global environmental crises and address the impacts of climate migration.
“This is a question of life and death for countless people having to flee because of the climate crisis,” Greta said.
Climate migration is a reality: finding solutions for people to stay, for people on the move, and for people to move is crucial.
“The ones who are being more seriously hit by climate change are the populations that have less contributed in the past for the problems that we are confronted with,” Vitorino said. “And therefore, there is a need of solidarity and co-responsibility for the fate of those populations that are already experiencing in their daily lives the human suffering attached to climate change.”
More than 15 million people in Somalia and Pakistan alone need humanitarian aid due to the recent extreme weather events. The donation from the Greta Thunberg Foundation is helping IOM to continue its emergency response to affected communities in both countries.
“IOM is thankful for the generous contribution from the Foundation, and we are proud to cooperate with Greta to raise more awareness about the impact of climate on migration,” said Vitorino.
Greta also highlighted the complementary actions of IOM and young climate activists.
“Everyone has a different role to play. Organizations like IOM are vital in supporting people impacted by climate change, and those of us who can help you [IOM] in your work should do so. And those of us who can raise our voices to speak up for migrant justice and climate justice should do so,” she said.