Water Scarcity, Migrations and Climate Change: an Assessement of their Nexus

Abstract

Climate change is one of the most urgent and challenging issues of our generation. The sustainability of our planet is put into discussion by the negative impact that globalisation and industrialization have had especially on climate, which is particularly evident focusing on water scarcity. The growing scarcity of water resources, exacerbated by climate change, has the potential to destabilize regions, trigger mass migrations, and intensify conflicts. Drawing data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) documentation, UN-Water, the Water Stress Index, and insights from extensive climate change literature, this analysis aims at investigating the intricate interdependence among water scarcity and migration patterns in the critical epoch of the Anthropocene. The main objective is to understand in which way water scarcity emerges as a predominant driver of migration, with a specific focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of their complex relation in the context of climate-induced challenges, focusinf in regions where water stress is acutely felt.