Task Force on Displacement

Climate change can affect the resilience and safety of people, sometimes displacing them from their homes and communities.

Recognizing the need to help countries avert, minimize and address displacement related to the adverse impacts of climate change, UN climate policy has responded.

 

Establishment of the Task Force on Displacement

The Conference of the Parties (COP), at its 21st session in Paris, established the Task Force on Displacement to develop recommendations for integrated approaches to avert, minimize and address displacement related to the adverse impacts of climate change. (Decision 1/CP.21)

The Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage (WIM Excom) is entrusted by the COP to operationalize the Task Force on Displacement.

Task Force on Displacement within the UNFCCC process:

Task Force on Displacement within the UNFCCC process

At the successful delivery of a set of recommendations, the WIM Excom extended the mandate of the Task Force on Displacement, in 2018, to continue its work on human mobility under strategic workstream (d) of the WIM Excom’s five-year rolling workplan.

Phase 1 (June 2017 - April 2019)

In fulfilling its mandate during the first phase of implementation to provide a comprehensive assessment of broader issues of displacement related to climate change, the Task Force on Displacement engaged in technical work on the following themes:

  • Policy/Practice – National/Subnational
  • Policy – International/Regional
  • Data and assessment
  • Framing and linkages

As a result, the COP, at its 24th session, adopted a set of recommendations based on the assessment and, presented by the WIM Excom in its annual report (2018).

TFD 1st phase outcome

For more information related to results of the implementation of the first phase workplan, click here

Phase 2 (since April 2019)

Since April 2019, the Task Force on Displacement began its second phase of implementation with the new terms of reference. The Task Force on Displacement’s new Plan of Action (2019 – 2021), building upon the activities under strategic workstream (d) of the WIM Excom as well as the recommendations arising from the outcomes of its first phase of implementation, was subsequently approved by the WIM Excom in October 2019.

For more information related to the implementation of the second phase Plan of Action, click here

Milestones and Timeline
TFD milestones graph
Approach

Through an inclusive approach, the Task Force on Displacement complements, draws upon the work of and involves, as appropriate, existing bodies and expert groups under the United Nations Climate Change Convention, as well as relevant organizations and expert bodies outside the Convention.

TFD Approach

For information related to the members of the Task Force on Displacement, click here