The Cross-Mediterranean migration crisis has tested both the complexity of the different forces conspiring to drive people out of their homeland and the adverse consequences of forced migration on transit communities and destination nations. A vast amount of international climate scientific reports highlights two main points relating to climate change and forced migration, in the context of the Euro-Med region: a) Regional inequality, Social Stability and Human Migration and b) Climate Resilience and Sustainability.

Despite a growing body of studies on the topic of migration, environment and climate change, there is still a lack in reliable data and policy-oriented research which can respond to the increasing demand and reflect the needs of policymakers - in particular through the prism of intercultural dialogue as a multiplier factor in the relationship between North and South of the Mediterranean. The Climate Change and Migration in Euro-Med Region: Socio-Economic Development and Intercultural Perspective project filled an important gap as it was a policy-oriented research program of work.

Led by the University of Calabria (UNICAL) in Italy. The research project was co-funded by the Anna Lindh Foundation and involved five Euro-Med countries. Hence, the research consortium consisted of the following partners who all developed a specific field of expertise in relation to the topic of the project:

Association of Environmental Justice – Israel; Institute for Migration Development and Integration – Albania; Farhat Hached Institute for Research and Democracy – Tunisia; Genista Research Foundation – Malta; Chieti – Pescara University – Italy.

The project aimed to contribute to the global knowledge based on:

the relationship between migration and climate change, both as endogenous and global driver for many recent migration processes;

and the observation on the Nexus between climate change and new migrations in Euro-Med Region.

The project examined the existing evidence on the topic of migration, the environmental and climate change with respect to the ways in which changes in the environment and climate change are affecting the movement of people and the types of policy responses and protection gaps, which potentially exist in the region. Furthermore, it offered an overview of innovative approaches to measuring and collecting data on the migration and environment nexus.

Field observation, quantitative (comparative data) and qualitative approaches, case studies and interviews have been conducted in the five partner countries.

The key objective of this partnership was to bring these areas of expertise together to create a comprehensive and consistent cluster of research, consultation and teaching activities.

These activities have included:

• A series of meetings: steering committee meetings (31 March, 6 and 28 May, 5 July); debate (8 March 2021), seminar (12 April 2021), workshops (20 May, 21 and 22 June);

• Joint research publications on related topics;

• A platform engaging more than 650 active followers (university students, academics, researchers and practitioners).

All activities under the Climate Change and Migration in Euro-Med Region: Socio-Economic Development and Intercultural Perspective project took place between 15 December 2020 and 15 July 2021.

University of Chieti _Legal Status of Environmental and Climate Migrants: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ajoH6CjSe1wZIsITcW5iAwZQz5d6ETI7/view?usp=sharing