Bridging the Gap between Climate Action and Forced Displacement: Connecting COP28 and the Global Refugee Forum

Bridging the Gap between Climate Action and Forced Displacement: Connecting COP28 and the Global Refugee Forum was a GRF linked event that took place on 12 December and brought the insights and discussions that emerged during COP28 into the GRF space. It featured a diverse panel of experts, including Andrew Harper, UNHCR Special Advisor on Climate Action, Joelle Hangi, Global Platform for Action Inclusivity Lead, Robert Kwesiga, Secretary General of the Uganda Red Cross, and Dina Ionesco, Senior Advisor on Migration to the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) and Vulnerable 20 Group (V20). The event was organised by the Global Refugee-Led Network, IFRC, Independent Diplomat and Oxfam, and moderated by Guillaume Charron, Geneva Director of Independent Diplomat. 

The main outcomes from the panel were:  

• Amplify the voices of affected communities and a departure from tokenism, advocating for refugees to be decision-makers rather than mere participants;
• Focus on increasing access to funds and capacity between international organizations and affected communities, noting that this relationship doesn't have to be one of a donor and beneficiary, but rather one of exchange;
• Emphasize adaptation, and the participation of affected communities in the drafting and implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs);
• Use equity and human rights-based approaches as a basis for decision-making on climate-based migration;
• Leverage green energy solutions;
• Mobilize migrants for climate action;
• Emphasize socio-economic and cultural rights and education.