Climate change, conflict and migration

This workshop will argue that is critical that peace, environmental, migration and international justice activists join forces to tackle the problems at the crossroads of their work. Climate change and the adjacent scramble for fossil fuels and natural resources have many consequences, including heightening the risks of (armed) conflict and human rights abuses, increasing exploitation and fueling drivers for migration. This is part of a long history of colonial capitalism. And in the future we can expect this to lead to new waves of refugees and the outbreak of new international and internal conflicts.

On a political level both (the consequences of) climate change and migration are usually framed as security threats, to be dealt with by military means, ignoring their humanitarian consequences, political nature and their causes. In the field of migration we witness an increasing militarisation and externalisation of borders. The military industry not only profits from this as well, it also has been influential in shaping migration policies in for example the EU and the USA. In the introduction the speakers try to give (historic) analysis that has brought us here, and then steer the focus in the direction of the future and the challenges for the various movements.

After that the workshop will split into groups to discuss several upcoming action and campaign possibilities, bringing together people from various movements. We will end with a collective discussion on steps forward.

All participants are active on the crossroads of the themes of the workshop.

Moderator Niels Jongerius is Outreach Officer at the Transnational Institute (TNI).

Speakers are Chihiro Geuzebroek (Code Rood/Shell Must Fall), J-P (Stop the War on Migrants) and Benjamin Baars (Stop Wapenhandel).