Libya: climate change is driving up migration, says new report

A new report from the International Organization for Migration examines the intersection of climate change, food security, and migration across Libya, according to the Libya Review on August 18th.

The report is titled “Libya-Climate Change, Food Security & Migration,” and it reveals that climate change is driving food insecurity and migration.

The long-term result will be an increase in migration into Libya and to Europe, as vulnerable families are forced by food insecurity driven by climate change to migrate.

The impacts of climate change include rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and desertification, all of which erode farmland and limit food production.

Migrants residing in Libya who are engaged in sectors like farming mostly originated from neighbouring nations such as Sudan and Niger, which are experiencing similarly dire climate pressures.

Of these migrants in farming sectors, the International Organization for Migration’s study reveals that 19% have reported production losses or livestock deaths due to extreme weather.

The impact of climate change on farming is forcing vulnerable rural households to abandon the agriculture sector and find alternative livelihoods- 9% of agriculture workers have already shifted into other industries due to the worsening land degradation.

According to this new report, half of those who are still working in the farming industry have stated that they have been forced to increase their fertilizer usage, or start using it just to maintain production levels, which ultimately means higher costs and a heavier workload.

Food security has also been severely impacted for migrants residing in Libya. 42% of adults and 20% of children do not eat three meals a day, and a further 28% reported limited dietary diversity.

Many have had to eat cheaper food or borrow money and food to get by.

Another impact of climate change has been on job security, with the report stating that almost 38% of the migrants surveyed saying that climate change has threatened their job security, in particular those working in farming but also wider roles.

Libya’s government has acknowledged the environmental issue- on August 12th it was reported that the Environment Minister of the Government of National Unity had in an interview blamed government neglect and armed conflict for the “catastrophic” situation.

Libya Review/Maghrebi