This publication, prepared by the United Nations University and the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development, focuses on one of the themes from the World Water Forum held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 17-18 March 2009: it aims to contribute to the understanding of rural to rural, rural to urban and cross-border migration in the face of water scarcity.

Decision to Migrate is mostly a choice - except in compelling

Migration, both within and beyond borders, has become an increasingly prominent theme in domestic and international debates, and is the topic of the 2009 Human Development Report (HDR09). The starting point is that the global distribution of capabilities is extraordinarily unequal, and that this is a major driver for movement of people.

Climate change is already increasing the frequency and intensity of natural hazards, and the numbers of natural disasters reported and people affected are rising. However, data on disaster-related displacement has not been consistently collected or analysed. This report presents the results of a study carried out by IDMC and OCHA earlier this year.

Climate change will influence patterns of migration and human settlements