The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Georgia is excited to announce the launch of a new project, “Enabling Actions to Address Challenges of Environmental Migration in Georgia,” supported by the IOM Development Fund. This initiative aims to support the Government of Georgia in addressing the complex and multidimensional phenomenon of environmental migration.

"As we approach COP29, the urgency to address the impacts of climate change has never been more evident. This project is timely and essential for Georgia, as we are taking a significant step towards ensuring that the human rights and dignity of displaced people and migrants are upheld, while also contributing to the global efforts to combat climate change," - said Lars Johan Lonnback, Chief of Mission of IOM Georgia.

Environmental migration is already a pressing issue in Georgia, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, over 39,000 people are living in internal displacement due to natural hazards at the end of 2023. 

The project’s primary goal is to enhance the capacity of the Georgian government through various activities, including capacity development, technical support, and the provision of targeted policy recommendations. These efforts will promote improved knowledge and understanding of migration, environment, and climate change (MECC) nexus, drawing on best practices from other countries and a comprehensive case study on environmental migration.

The project will work closer with the State Commission on Migration Issues (SCMI), partner institutions and other relevant stakeholders in Georgia.