World Migration Report, 2024

• Context (TH | NDTV): The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) released the World Migration Report 2024.
• Since 2000, IOM has been producing its flagship world migration reports every two years.

Findings of the report

• Top five remittance recipient countries: India, Mexico, China, the Philippines and France (2022).
• Top country-to-country migration corridors: India — United Arab Emirates, India — U.S., India — Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh — India.
• Largest destination countries for international mobile students: USA, UK, Australia, Germany and Canada.

India Specific Findings

• In 2022, India received over $111 billion in remittances, the largest in the world, becoming the first country to reach and even surpass the $100 billion mark.
• There has been a steady growth in remittances to India over the years.
• India came in 13^th as the destination country for immigrants, with 4.48 million people coming from other countries to live in India
• Nearly 18 million, or 1.3 percent of India’s population, are international migrants, making India the largest source of migrants globally.
• Major Indian diasporas live in the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Saudi Arabia.

Climate-Induced Displacement

• According to the report, by 2050, over 216 million people across six continents are projected to move within their countries due to climate change.
• Migration serves as a coping or adaptation strategy to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
• Factors like political power, governance, and globalised food production also contribute to migration.

Climate-Induced Displacement Across Regions

North Africa

• Libya: It faces challenges from the Arab Spring and water scarcity. Natural disasters like the ‘Medicane‘ Daniel in 2023 have further exacerbated challenges in Libya, particularly in cities like Derna.
• Algeria & Morocco: Droughts and wildfires have led to significant displacements.
• Nigeria: In 2022, it experienced the largest number of internal displacements due to disasters in sub-Saharan Africa, mainly caused by floods.

South and East Africa

• In Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, over 2 million people were displaced internally due to drought.

Southern Africa

• Cyclone Freddy, which struck Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar in early 2023, displaced over 500,000 people in Malawi alone.

Asia

• Pakistan: Floods in 2022 resulted in nearly 1,700 deaths and over 8 million displacements.
• Bangladesh record-breaking floods in 2022, causing over 1.5 million displacements.
• Central Asia: Increasing desertification, glacial melt, and dam failures have led to displacements.
  • Water management issues between countries like Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have fueled tensions and clashes.

The Americas, Caribbean and Oceania

• Brazil: Floods in 2022 displaced over 7lakh people.
• Peru declared a state of emergency after cyclone Yaku (2023) caused widespread displacement.
• Chile experienced extremely destructive wildfires in January 2023.
• Cuba: Hurricane Ian in September 2022 caused 80,000 displacements.
• Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico: Hurricane Fiona triggered 94,000 displacements.
• Canada witnessed displacements due to extensive wildfires burning millions of acres by June 2023.
• Pacific Ocean region: Disasters like tropical cyclones, volcanic eruptions, and droughts frequently cause displacements.
  • In 2021, cyclones Ana & Bina hit the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji, leading to displacements.
  • They are also vulnerable to slow-onset events like rising sea levels and coastal erosion.

Steps taken to Combat Climate-induced Migration

• In September 2022, more than 10 states in the East and Horn of Africa signed the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment, and Climate Change.
• Argentina introduced a new humanitarian visa pathway in May 2022 for individuals from the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico displaced by natural events.
• The United States government planned to provide financial assistance to five Native American tribes in Alaska and Washington for relocation from coastal areas and rivers.
• Pacific Island governments are discussing a regional framework on climate mobility under the supervision of the Pacific Islands Forum.

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International Organisation for Migration (IOM)

• IOM is the leading inter-governmental organisation in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.
• It was established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM) to help resettle people displaced by World War II.
• IOM is part of the United Nations system as a related organisation.
• It currently has 172 member states and 8 states holding observer status. India is a member of IOM.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Areas of work:
  1. Migration and development
  2. Facilitating migration
  3. Regulating migration
  4. Forced migration