Planting Insights, Harvesting Solutions: How Data Can Illuminate the Links Between Climate and Migration
In the dynamic intersection of climate change and human mobility, partnerships between international organizations, the tech sector and academia are key. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with Snowflake, a data cloud industry leader, hosted the first-ever hackathon on “Bridging Climate Change and Human Mobility.” Their aim? To unravel the complexities of environmental factors intertwining with migration management and policymaking in the East and Horn of Africa (EHoA).
The hackathon lived up to its multidisciplinary premise. Experts from various fields and academic institutions including University College London, the London School of Economics and Addis Ababa University convened at the two-part event in London and Nairobi to delve deep into the relationship between climate change, disasters, environmental degradation, and human mobility. The overarching goal? To shed light on key findings and guide the effective use of data sources to understand climate-induced human mobility in the EHoA.
This region continues to grapple with the impacts of climate change on human mobility with a rising number of people forced to leave their homes due to climate. Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia continue to experience climatic shocks including the longest and most severe drought in over 40 years with intermittent flooding putting a strain on livelihoods, rain-fed agriculture, ecosystem services and people’s resilience as well as increasing forced migration and related vulnerabilities. As of June 2023, 3 million people are internally displaced due to drought across these countries, with an estimated 6.6 million internally displaced persons living in drought-affected areas.
First Stop: London
To kick things off, 30 students from six UK institutions gathered in London to explore a range of issues such as decision-making processes in drought-hit areas in the Horn of Africa, as well as the complementarity of various data sources.
The winning team investigated gendered climate-migration relations in the Somali region of Ethiopia by combining DTM flow monitoring data with Terra Climate and Palmer Drought Mobility Index. Given the tight hackathon timeline, the team’s findings underscored the need for additional qualitative assessments, earning them an invitation to continue their work with IOM DTM in London.
The runner-up team, led by Ruth Neville, focused on “Unravelling Ethiopia’s Dynamic Displacement”. Their mapping of movement and demographics showcased the power of data analytics in understanding the intricate climate and mobility nexus, opening the door to further research questions and recommendations.
On the Move: Nairobi
The second part of the hackathon took place in the Kenyan capital bringing together 50 professionals from academia, technology, and inter-governmental organizations. Part Two refined research questions and built on the preliminary analyses from the London student teams.
Participants were divided into six teams, each contributing their set of skills and expertise exploring the full analysis process from identification of relevant datasets to framing the problem and developing the theory. The data explored ranged from IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) and the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) for human mobility, to climate data from CGIAR, CRU, ESSD, and GDO. Conflict data from ACLED and additional relevant datasets from SEDAC, GDL, CEPII, Nature, and Zenodo painted a comprehensive picture. The teams showcased an array of techniques, from regression-based models to machine learning applications like LASSO models.
The variety of frameworks and theoretical models used in analyses illustrates the complexity of climate and migration. Teams emphasized the importance of not just focusing on migrants’ departure and arrival points but understanding their full journeys. The potential for telecommunications data to help understand journeys and risks was highlighted, while publicly available road networks can add a new layer of insight. The intersectionality of individuals, families, and communities took centre stage, reinforcing the necessity of a people-centric approach in analysing large datasets.
Partners and Dataset Providers
This collaborative journey wouldn’t have been possible without the co-organizers, UCL and Snowflake, and the array of data providers, including Global Data Lab, CGIAR, SEDAC, CRU, ESSD, CEPII, ACLED, GDO JRC, MMC, Nature, and Zenodo.
“We are thrilled to host this hackathon and, with Snowflake’s help, transform ideas into action, while harnessing the potential of data to address climate change and mobility challenges,” said Laura Nistri, IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix Global Coordinator at the event’s kick-off. “Human mobility must be integrated into national climate adaptation plans,” she added.
The takeaway from the event was clear. Taking a people-centred approach to climate mobility data will help understand, and even explain, seeming inconsistencies in statistical analysis of large datasets.
The teams in London and Nairobi demonstrated that there is a wealth of data that can be used to investigate climate change and human mobility. For example, humanitarian response data on mobility can be combined with remote sensing data on climatic conditions and road networks to understand routes and pressures. Across all teams, it was evident that high quality survey information remains crucial to this analysis, as an understanding of who is moving is needed to better understand why different people respond to climate change in different ways.
A Thank You
With COP28 around the corner, solutions for people affected by climate change remain critical. Adopting an evidence-based, human-rights based and people-centered approach to anticipate needs and identify solutions is a matter of life or death and data partnerships have huge potential to achieve this.
To every voice, expertise, and ounce of energy contributed, the organizers extend their deepest gratitude. The journey doesn’t end here; it’s an invitation to stay engaged, continue contributing, and be part of a vital global dialogue. Together, we’re determined to enact meaningful change for our planet and its inhabitants.
In this symphony of collaboration, the hackathon was not just an event — it was a catalyst for a more resilient and equitable future. As we look ahead, let’s carry the torch of shared vision and actionable strategies, sown in the fertile grounds of the IOM’s Climate-Migration Hackathon.
