William Lacy Swing on migration as a consequence of climate change

Global warming continues to have a strong effect on global migration, writes William Lacy Swing, director of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in the daily Le Temps: "Today many new climate migrants simply can't make a living from their land and are forced to move to over-populated and often unhealthy urban neighbourhoods where they suffer from xenophobia and violence. This migration clearly demonstrates that the international community must seek to reduce the migration consequences of climate change on vulnerable populations in Africa and around the world. ... Africa remains more vulnerable than ever to the effects of climate change and the degradation of the environment. A reduction of 50 percent of its agricultural production due to water shortages would harm 70 percent of its population. ... These countries will not be able to meet these challenges unless they start integrating climate alteration and its impact in their development policies. And this won't be possible without the technical and financial support of the industrial countries largely responsible for these disturbances."

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