Cities at the Intersection: Climate, Culture, and Migration

Florita Gunasekara, Maitreyi Koduganti Venkata, Chandni Singh | 2022

Abstract

Climate change and migration are intersecting realities for millions of people living in cities across the world. This report examines the role of local leadership, policy exchange, and city networks in responding to climate-mediated migration, as well as explores the critical need for a strong understanding of cultural values of people and places as a prerequisite to meaningful policy solutions.

Building from four case studies of cities and towns in the Global South and North, this report offers insight into ongoing city-level actions at the fulcrum of climate change and migration. In particular, the authors add a cultural dimension to the analysis of urban policy solutions for climate-related migration. The report intends to inform a wide array of urban stakeholders and policymakers by drawing from leading scientific and cultural analysis, including the recent findings from the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).