The COP29 Presidency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) co-hosted a High-Level Roundtable on Climate, Peace, and Human Mobility on September 22, during the UN General Assembly week in New York.
The event, aimed at finding “actionable solutions” to climate-related issues, emphasized the urgent need for policy recommendations to address climate-induced displacement, IOM said in a news release.
High-level participants included representatives from the COP29 Presidency, IOM, Italy, Egypt, the Green Climate Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank Group, and the UN Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.
With climate change driving displacement and migration worldwide, the roundtable focused on key issues at the intersection of climate and peace, such as water scarcity, food insecurity, and land degradation. The discussions aimed to catalyze practical solutions and inform COP29 negotiations on these critical topics.
“The convergence of climate change and conflict is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, with devastating consequences for some of the most vulnerable people on our planet,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “We need to act now to address the root causes of climate-induced displacement and build resilience in affected communities.”
Ambassador Elshad Iskandarov, Senior Adviser to the COP29 Presidency said the forthcoming COP29 Peace, Relief, and Recovery Day in Baku is expected to deliver “concrete outcomes” that will scale up support for countries facing the dual pressures of climate extremes and conflict.
Iskandarov stressed the importance of international collaboration. “The high-level roundtable is a crucial platform for governments, UN agencies, and stakeholders to develop tangible solutions to the complex challenges posed by the intersection of climate, peace, and human mobility,” he said.
The roundtable was expected to yield concrete policy recommendations to inform COP29 discussions and support the launch of the Centre of Excellence on Climate Action for Peace. This new initiative will serve as a hub for knowledge exchange and collaboration, focusing on addressing climate-induced displacement and related challenges such as water scarcity and food insecurity.
The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11-22, 2024, and will focus on accelerating climate action in line with the Paris Agreement commitments.
