The EU is very concerned and remains engaged in finding solutions to address the adverse consequences of climate induced displacement. The challenges of disaster and climate-related displacement have only increased over the last few years. Disasters, climate change and environmental degradation are having an increasingly strong impact on human displacement. Important global efforts and a sense of a growing shared responsibility can be applauded, however, many fundamental issues remain unclear, and we need, as international community, to step up our efforts. We need to work across sectors to address climate mobility challenges with a humanitarian-development-peace nexus approach. While the humanitarian community focuses its attention to the most immediate needs of the response, there is a pressing need for measures that build resilience, address root causes, help people to stay or to move safely, and support hosting communities. More attention is needed on implementing comprehensive development programmes to contribute to improve the management of this phenomenon. Climate induced displacement is a global issue that cannot be addressed by any one country alone and this is why partnerships and building linkages have never been more needed and for this the EU strongly praises the work of the PDD.

The EU’s past tenure as Chair of the Platform reflects the fact that we see the PDD as a unique tool in this respect. We remain convinced that it is only through initiatives such as the PDD that we will be able to identify together the ways forward to address the challenges we are facing.

The 18 months tenure of the EU as Chair of the PDD was marked by the development of our priorities:

1. One of our main priorities as Chair of the PDD was to strengthen coordinated action to better respond to disaster and climate-related displacement. This included a focus on research and data collection and analysis, as well as support for capacity and policy development initiatives in this area. We are pleased to see that our tenure as Chair coincided with the launch of a number of key programmes and initiatives by the EU.
2. Another important pillar of our work as Chair of the PDD was the issue of advocacy and dialogue. We believed that it was essential that we continue discussing and exchanging on this issue, as we did in international fora such as the COP27 two years ago in Sharm El-Sheikh, or the COP28 which took place in Dubai in December, in order to identify together the ways forward. The EU presided as Chair in the organisation of a number of high-level advocacy and dialogue events, at the COP, but also in Geneva and Brussels in the framework of the last European Humanitarian Forums for instance.
3. Finally, our third priority was to address the institutional future of the PDD during our mandate. We were convinced of the importance of being able to come together and have a joint reflection exercise on the future of the Platform, including its current institutional setting, functioning modalities and objectives, as part of its next Strategy Review Process. The adoption of a new, longer-term Strategy for the platform in December after intensive discussions and several working sessions between members of the PDD Steering Group is therefore a key achievement for the EU. The new strategy will provide a roadmap to guide the platform's work over the coming years and will enable the PDD to strengthen its relevance as a flexible tool for dialogue, exchange and policy advocacy on issues of disaster and climate-related displacement.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Republic of Kenya, which supported us in our efforts as Vice-Chair of the PDD during our mandate, and I am delighted to formally hand over to my Kenyan colleagues and wish them every success in their tenure as the new Chair of the PDD. The EU looks forward to this new exercise, and remains committed to supporting, alongside the other members of the Steering Group, the new Chair in his efforts. We also wish the new Vice-Chair of the Platform, the Republic of Costa Rica, all the best for this new exercise.

We are looking forward to discussing future engagement opportunities over the coming years, and on this, we would like to assure you that the European Union remains committed to enhance its response to climate-induced displacement.” EU Ambassador Lotte Knudsen

At the 2023 Global Refugee Forum in December the EU announced an ambitious pledge linked to climate action, which includes a pipeline of projects and programmes in support of government priorities and plans to develop solutions to the most pressing climate challenges they are experiencing. A substantial contribution of EUR 303 million will be allocated to enhance climate resilience and disaster preparedness in affected countries. The EU also committed to integrate environmental degradation and climate into humanitarian operations and development initiatives, particularly in regions and countries hosting refugees. Finally, this pledge was also supported by cross-cutting commitments on data and knowledge, and technical and institutional capacity building to build the evidence base and strengthen the means of implementation for more inclusive and effective climate action. In this regard, the EU pledged support for global policy and advocacy processes, data collection, analysis, and research related to climate-induced displacement to support evidence base programming.

European Union, 2024