Warsaw, Poland 12th November 2013: Today nineteen CSO networks from Asia, Africa, Europe and
Latin America organize a seminar titled “Climate Forced Migrants: The Question of Rights and
Common But Differentiated Responsibilities” at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland where the
CoP 19 of UNFCCC i.e. climate conference is taking place.
Speakers demand in the seminar that, in view of Cancun and Doha agreement the developing
countries especially most vulnerable countries must raise the issues of climate migrants’ rights in
the climate conference. They also urge that in view of the Polluter Pay Principles the developed
countries must take responsibilities of this climate forced migrants while the effected countries
must prepare their own national displacement policies in view of existing UN framework.
Dr Ahsan Uddin of CSRL moderates the seminar while Ziaul Haque Mukta of Oxfam Aisa presents
the keynote paper. Other speakers of the seminar were Samson Ogallah of PACJA Africa, Soumya
Dutta and Ajay Jha from India. Around 160 non government and government’s delegates
participated in the seminar, and around 12 of them raised questions and comments.
Ziaul Haque Mukta in his keynote presentation refers to different research that there will be 250
million to 1 billion climate migrants by 2050. He also cited examples that New Zeeland, Australia,
Sweden, US, Switzerland, Canada, Malaysia, and EU somehow in consideration of climate migrants
in relaxing there laws, although there are some grayness. He also refers the position of Bangladesh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in this regard.
Samson Ogallah from PACJA (Pan African Climate Justice Alliance) mentioned that the CoP
(Conference of Parties) 19 Warsaw must deliver on the issue of climate migrants as African people
have to move due to climate impacts.
Soumya Dutta from Beyond Copenhagen, a coalition of civil societies in India, gives several
examples especially of recent extreme rainfall in Uttharkhand India, which creates internal
displacement. Ajay Jha of Pairivi demands work program and legal framework from UNFCCC in this
regard.
Dr Ahsan Uddin the moderator of the seminar concluded that Global policy leaders must facilitate
rehabilitation, physical relocations of climate migrants with equal rights and full dignity.
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