Climate-Induced Slavery

Climate change and climate-induced migration heightens existing vulnerabilities of slavery. Drivers of vulnerability to modern slavery are complex and impacted by many layers of risk. While several socio-economic, political, cultural and institutional risks shape vulnerability, they are increasingly considered to be made worse by climate change impacts and environmental degradation.

Anti-Slavery International and the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) have collaborated to produce a toolkit for policy makers – Climate-induced Migration and Modern Slavery. Rising sea levels, salination and flooding are already forcing entire coastal communities to relocate in some parts of our world. The World Bank estimates that by 2050 climate change will force more than 143 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America from their homes. Climate and development policy-makers and planners urgently need to recognise that millions of people displaced by climate change are being, and will be, exposed to slavery in the coming decades. Read more…