World Bank report examines the link between water and migration

The report, Ebb and Flow: Water, Migration, and Development, examines the link between water and migration, and the implications for economic development. The report is based on an analysis of the largest data set on internal migration ever assembled, covering nearly half a billion people from 189 population censuses in 64 countries from 1960 to 2015.

The report is in two parts, volume 1 covers water, migration, and development. Volume 2 focuses on water, forced displacement and conflict in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Key findings include:

• 10% of the global migration is linked to water deficits – there are more than 1 billion migrants in the world today.
• By the end of this century worsening droughts are projected to affect 700 million people.
• The absence of water has a greater impact on migration than the abundance of water.
• Climate shocks disproportionately impact the developing world.
• More than 85% of people affected live in low- or middle-income countries.
• Global warming will make “day zero” events more common in the world’s cities, which are now home to 55% of the human population. Urban water supplies are under threat from rising heat stress and water scarcity.
• The MENA region urgently needs to move towards water resilience. Given the prolonged nature of conflicts in the region, waiting for their resolution is not a feasible strategy.

Read the report.