In 2023, United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) released a report exploring the work of CJRF partners addressing climate mobility. One key question it poses is: How can immobility drive L&D?
When talking about mobility and Loss and Damage, one form of movement often goes unnoticed: immobility. For some, the impacts of climate change do not lead to migration, but to immobility, or staying in place, despite the loss and damage they experience.
Immobility can occur either voluntarily or involuntarily. In the first case, individuals have the capabilities to migrate, but lack the aspiration to do so. In the second, they have the aspiration, but not the capability.
In Bangladesh, many people whose livelihoods have been affected by climate impacts choose not to migrate. Their decision comes from a deep attachment to place and a determination to rebuild their lives where they are. They want to stay, yet doing so requires new ways to make a living.
With that intent, individuals seek opportunities to learn, train, and work locally. Helvetas, through a local apprenticeship model, is supporting individuals assess their work interests and understand where opportunities exist in the local job market. Through this process, they identify their own interests and aspirations, hoping to translate them into skills that can sustain them close to home.
So far, more than 538 young people have taken part in this process, training across 11 different professions, from welding and carpentry to IT, motor mechanics, hairdressing, and wig making. Through these livelihoods, individuals can continue their lives within their own communities and build a more secure future amidst a changing climate.
This illustration by artist Victor Ynami helps us visualize the human toll of re-skilling in response to chosen immobility. Stay tuned as we share more visual stories from CJRF’s partners and the UNU-EHS report—stories that challenge us to rethink what Loss and Damage can look like, and who bears its weight.