Climate Chains: Mapping the Relationship between Climate, Trafficking in Persons and Building Resilience

This report explores the complex links between climate change, livelihood, vulnerability, migration and human trafficking. Commissioned by IOM under the Climate Resilience Against Trafficking and Exploitation (CREATE) project, the study focuses on Ethiopia and the Philippines, two countries facing distinct climate challenges: slow-onset droughts and sudden-onset typhoons, respectively. The research used a mixed-methods approach that included household surveys, interviews and focus group discussions. This research puts forward a conceptual model that links climate events and trafficking through a series of intertwined steps. It identifies a causal chain where climate events disrupt livelihood, increase vulnerability and heighten migration intentions, which can lead to exploitation and trafficking. The research explores how factors linking climate and trafficking operate in both the Philippines and Ethiopia in similar ways but are experienced differently based on the local contexts. This study provides critical insights and recommendations for policymakers, donors and organizations working to address human trafficking and exploitation and build resilience in the face of climate change.