Conference-Debate “Parlons Migrations”

The scientists intervened with the aim of addressing critical issues in Senegal. Flore Gubert (IRD) presented her research on climate variability and seasonal migration in the country. Using digital traces generated by users, she introduced a novel approach for measuring temporary and seasonal migration, which proved to be more effective than traditional methods in capturing short-term movements of people.

Then, Timothée Brochier (IRD), delved into the study of fishing in Senegal, shedding light on the pressing concerns of overexploitation and overfishing. His presentation sought to raise awareness about the detrimental impacts of these practices on both the environment and the socio-economic well-being of the local population.

Frédéric Ponsot (IFAD/FRR) offered another crucial perspective by examining the analysis of money transfers and investments made by diaspora members and communities. He introduced these financial activities as a resilient climate adaptation strategy.

This second part of the conference-debate focused on humanitarian action. Mary Leroy, climate advisor at CARE France, provided a more global vision of the challenges of climate change, highlighting the term “climate justice” to underpin the issue of vulnerability and climate responsibility.

She presented several humanitarian initiatives aimed at promoting climate justice, using Madagascar as notable case study. The presentation addressed the issue of ancestral knowledge in the face of climate variations, and the need for communities to adapt and acquire new knowledge. Women’s double vulnerability was also addressed in the context of climate variability, explaining how women bear the burden of “time poverty”, a term used to describe their responsibility for environmental resources such as water. This burden forces them to travel longer distances due to climate variability to meet household needs.