Abstract ID: 3.9527 | Accepted as Poster | Talk/Oral | TBA | TBA

There has been a gradual change in the discourse regarding climate change and migration in recent years. Migration is now not just seen as a consequence of climate change, but also as a form of adaptation in the face of climate change and its various impacts. The increasing evidence of migration as adaptation seen in the various parts of the world begs some critical questions. If more and more people are using migration as an adaptation, what are the implications for effective strategies and interventions for these people? Given the fact that while for some people, under certain circumstances, migration can be an effective form of adaptation, for others it can lead to increased vulnerabilities and risks, reducing their adaptive capacities, how can the stakeholders build an enabling environment for the migrants? This paper attempts to unlock these dimensions of migration, with a particular focus on the mountains and hills (Mustang and Sindhupalchok districts) of Nepal, where migration for economic reasons is still the predominant driver of moving out of one’s place of origin. Despite some migrants being able to successfully uplift the situation of their households, the interventions on climate change adaptation from local governments and authorities are not consistent and given much priority. This paper highlights the need for discourse and strategies on migration and adaptation, especially in the regions where the impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly severe and visible.