Developing the concept of Human Mobility in the context of environmental and climate change: the role of knowledge production by IOM and UNHCR

Abstract

This article explores the evolving role of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in defining Human Mobility in the Context of Environmental and Climate Change (HMCECC) from 2008 to 2025. Using conceptual history and interpretive policy analysis, alongside Oliver Nay’s three-phase model—normalisation, fragmentation, and assimilation—the study examines how both organisations have shaped discourse and knowledge production on HMCECC. While IOM and UNHCR maintained consistent vocabulary, their approaches shifted over time: from establishing links between climate change and mobility, to generating analytical data, and, ultimately, to consolidating the concept’s dominance by connecting it with broader themes like gender, indigenous rights, and agriculture. UNHCR emphasised the links between conflict, violence, and environmental change, whereas IOM presented migration as an adaptation strategy that favours localised solutions. Despite differences, both organisations kept their knowledge production within their mandates through selective framing. The article also critiques Nay’s framework, noting its limitations in addressing multistakeholder partnerships and alternative narratives from civil society and academia. This analysis contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of international organisations in constructing and maintaining dominant policy concepts while offering solutions within their own mandates.