In the context of today’s migration crisis, researchers involved in COST Action “Climate Change and Migration” presented their findings at a side event organized as part of the COP21 event in Paris. The event explored the importance of social science research for understanding climate change-induced migration. Having worked with international peers from social sciences, humanities, legal and policy studies, network member Dr Angela
Oels stressed there was “no simple link between climate change and migration”. The network argued that although climate change affects vulnerable populations, it is not the only factor causing migration. Challenging the concept of climate migration, network members highlighted the role of poverty and political crises leading to civil wars as two key factors making people vulnerable. The Action also took the opportunity to show how they created a space for interdisciplinary debate and a culture of trust among researchers who did not share much common ground prior to their collaboration.