Climate Change Intensifies Migration Pressures in Central America
A recent report by Berkeley Law’s Human Rights Clinic, in collaboration with the Institute for Women in Migration (IMUMI), highlights the critical role of climate change in exacerbating existing migration drivers in Central America. The study delves into how environmental changes amplify violence, exclusion, and poverty, prompting individuals from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua to migrate.
Entitled “Climate Change and Migration From Central America: Insights From Migrants in Mexico,” the report is based on a 2024 survey of 87 migrants, alongside interviews and desk research. It reveals that climate-induced disasters such as droughts and storms worsen poverty and disrupt essential resources like food and water, causing significant instability.
According to Helen Kerwin, Human Rights Clinic Supervising Attorney, climate factors were a consideration for nearly half of the surveyed migrants, though they were not the sole reason for migration. Traditional factors like insecurity, violence, and unemployment remain significant.
Kerwin noted, “We think this tells us a few things: First, climate migration is already a reality, and second, the impacts of climate change do not operate in a vacuum.” She explained that environmental impacts often increase the vulnerability of individuals already facing difficult circumstances, limiting their ability to cope with other threats.
The report also highlights governmental shortcomings in addressing these issues. The lack of state support in rebuilding and ensuring basic needs like housing, food, and safety further compels migration as a survival strategy.
Contributing to the Global Dialogue
The project, developed with IMUMI, aims to enhance understanding of climate change-linked migration in Central America and Mexico. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions about legal statuses for climate migrants, such as refugee or humanitarian visas.
Despite the small sample size, the survey offers crucial insights into migrants’ experiences, revealing the profound impact of climate events. More than 80% of respondents encountered at least one climate-related event, with 55% experiencing multiple incidents, such as hurricanes, heatwaves, and flooding. These events often led to job and crop loss, property damage, and increased disease risk.
Women were disproportionately affected, and only a quarter of respondents had received government assistance. The report suggests enhancing the Mexican agency handling asylum claims and incorporating climate considerations in refugee assessments.
Building Practical Skills
Human Rights Clinic students, including Rachel Rood-Ojalvo and Sam Klein-Markman, played a significant role in the report, gaining valuable experience by participating in data analysis and legal evaluations. Their work helped contextualize the findings within the broader social and political landscape, particularly important given Central America’s long history of migration due to violence and inequality.
Kate Doorley, a 3L student involved in data analysis, emphasized the importance of careful interpretation of complex personal experiences. Classmate Marielena Rodas highlighted the benefit of collaborating with NGOs and affected communities, ensuring legal analysis is responsive to real-world challenges.
Rood-Ojalvo expressed appreciation for the practical experience provided by the Human Rights Clinic, especially the opportunity to travel to Mexico City for the report’s release. She valued the connections built and the chance to see the project’s impact firsthand.
Clinic Director Roxanna Altholz ’99 emphasized the report’s importance in understanding migration drivers, advocating for evidence-based responses to migration challenges. “At a time when migrants are scapegoated rather than understood, this report reflects the Human Rights Clinic’s commitment to grounding advocacy in evidence and lived experience,” Altholz stated.
Original Story at www.law.berkeley.edu