Where to go when nobody´s home? - Adaptation to climate change and migration in Sweden’s third largest city, Malmö.

Inglés. This study has investigated the adaptation ability among Swedish public institutions with the intention of contributing with an understanding of the governmental and institutional approach on how they are supposed to manage potential larger-scale relocation due to climate change in the not so far reaching future. My specific research objective was to study the case of adaptation ability among institutions that interact and are linked to the community planning in Malmö and Sweden. The study investigated the adaptation ability by conducting interviews, mail correspondence and by reviewing official documents regarding polices, guidelines and legislation. The study showed that the conversation among the chosen institutions regarding adaptation towards climate induced migration has not started. Even though there is awareness among the street-level bureaucrats, regarding the relation between climate change and migration, an adaptation is dismissed or not presented within the institutional frameworks, planning strategies and visions because of poor international recognition on the topic. Additionally, the study shows that it exist a potential opening in the Swedish asylum regulations for people seeking refuge from environmental disasters and consequently also an opening to start the conversation. This opening have although been taken away temporarily for three years in July 2016 as a way to create a more restricted immigration to Sweden.

Inglés. Where to go when nobody’s home? – Climate change and migration During the past 8 years over 20 million people have been displaced by climate or weather-related disasters around the world, a number that are projected to increase over the 21st century according to the Fifth Assessment Report by The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (The Advisory Group on Climate Change and Human Mobility, 2015. Field, 2014). This study explores the national obligation and the current institutional approach regarding climate change induced migration in the ninth most competitive economies in the world, Sweden. Recent studies and reports indicate that people in affected areas tend to migrate to larger towns and megacities within their own country or across the border to a nearby country (IMDC, 2015. Biermann, Boas 2010. Warner et al, 2009). In the next coming years this trend will continue and the majority of the displaced people will remain in poor regions in the global south which can lead to overstrained regions, by scope of the national predicament. One way to reduce the burden for the regions and the vulnerability and exposure for displaced people can be to increase the opportunities for mobility (Field, 2014.Warner, 2012). In the autumn of 2015 the migration patterns in Europe changed drastically and over 1 million people sought for refuge within the EU member states. In 2015, the European Union received 1 255 600 asylum applications from people who sought for international protection, a number more than double that of the previous year (Eurostat A, 2016). The high influx of asylum seekers to Sweden, with 2% of the EU population, reached its limit in November same year when the government started to talk about a “collapse” of the welfare system and consequently decided to introduce border control for the first time in 15 years (EUR-Lex, 2009. Regeringen, 2016). Among the EU member states, Sweden was one of few states who took their responsibility during this period. This report reveals the current approach among Swedish intuitions’ regarding climate change induced migration and however an adaptation to the consequences are included within their community planning. The study also explores the possibilities for persons displaced by climate change receiving asylum in Sweden. Based on interviews, mail correspondence and official policy documents an apprehension has developed concerning how Sweden is dealing with the question on local, regional and nationwide level. The study encountered that several scholars and international agencies tend to focus on the possibilities to grade and divide these incredible vulnerable and many times chronic displaced people into different categories with separated justifications. This tendency raises moral and ethical questions such as; how can you estimate an already displaced person whether she or he is more or less vulnerable, more or less in need, more or less displaced? This study finds the current adaptation within the investigated institutions to be comprehended as a non-issue, surprising, due to the expressed awareness regarding the relation between climate change and migration. Potential organisational measures were dismissed because lack of governmental directives and the need of further studies which present a clearer picture on how and if Sweden will be affected. The study came across a possible opportunity for climate change displaced individuals in the Swedish asylum regulations. But due to the new law proposition which was adopted in July of 2016 the opportunity was temporarily erased over the next three years, this may be interpreted as an indication on which direction Sweden is heading in the future, the unaccountable way. Based the investigated institutions long term planning, current regulations and their existing approach, it may occur difficulties in meeting coming challenges related to climate change induced migration. The results given by this study is purposed to engage and create awareness concerning our collective responsibility to those displaced by climate change. The inclusion of climate change and migration in national adaptation plans together with continued and extended climate adaptation support in exposed regions can reduce a whole lot of human misery.