Emily Wright O'Kelly

Emily Wright O'Kelly works as a Consultant in the fields of climate policy, climate diplomacy and migration. Her work to date has shown that while climate change is already being felt around the world, countries’ abilities to prevent its worst impacts and pursue climate resilient, low carbon development paths vary enormously, placing a special responsibility on the international community to support those most vulnerable. She is particularly interested in the links between climate change and migration, and the innovative new instruments, policies and best practices that are being developed around the world to avert, minimise and address displacement related to the adverse impacts of climate change.

“Climate change is rarely the only reason that people migrate, but changes in the climate are placing increasing pressure on huge numbers of people around the world to leave their homes and livelihoods. Understanding the nuances of the issue and how these climate pressures interact with other political, socio-economic, cultural and personal drivers in different contexts is the key to designing effect measures to help people remain in situ and to migrate with dignity.”