Climate change strains livelihoods and worsens vulnerabilities, leading some people to migrate in search of better opportunities. But this can come at a cost when smugglers are used—increasing risks of trafficking, especially where awareness of these dangers is low.

Despite this, the link between climate change and human trafficking is often overlooked. The Climate Resilience Against Trafficking and Exploitation (CREATE) project is a pilot initiative working at the intersection of these issues. It brings together climate adaptation with trafficking prevention and is underpinned by research across the target countries: the Philippines and Ethiopia.

The Philippines is highly vulnerable to sudden hazards like cyclones and typhoons, which can devastate land, lives, and livelihoods. We partnered with local governments in the Bicol Region to identify the communities, carry out assessments, conduct training and provide climate-resilient livelihoods assistance for gourmet tinapa (smoked fish), mangrove ecotourism and resilient vegetable gardening. The communities are seeing profits from these initiatives - which withstood recent typhoons - and we are supporting them with training and market access for sustainable impact. To build awareness of local trafficking risks in relation to climate change impacts, we’re using the communications for development (C4D) approach, co-creating the messaging and materials with the community members based on their experiences. We are also working in partnership with local government agencies to mainstream countertrafficking in their disaster response frameworks and capacities, to ensure trafficking risks aren’t overlooked in emergencies.

Ethiopia is significantly impacted by slow-onset climate events, including soil erosion and droughts, while also being highly dependent on rainfed agriculture. We’re working hand in hand with government partners and communities in Oromia region to design and deliver the livelihoods assistance and trafficking awareness activities. We collaborated with CARE Ethiopia and Haramaya university to develop community assessment tools and training materials. We are supporting one community to engage in eco-friendly beekeeping, which can withstand periods of drought, and another to engage in climate-smart maize production and a coffee seedling nursery – generating long-term impact for the community members. And to raise awareness of local trafficking risks, we’re using the Community Conversation approach, a highly effective peer-to-peer communications methodology, proven to achieve results when combined with livelihoods assistance. Alongside research to expand the evidence base, we have a strong monitoring and evaluation framework in place to track impact, with an external evaluation planned next year, proposing new indicators for this type of intervention, recognizing the pilot’s potential for expansion and replication.

The project will work towards four key outcomes:

  • promoting climate-resilient livelihoods,
  • improving trafficking risk awareness,
  • integrating counter-trafficking strategies into disaster frameworks in the Philippines, and
  • enhancing the evidence base on this critical issue.

Research reports from the project will be published in 2025.

This project is funded with UK International Development from the UK government.