Climate Change and Migration in the Central Sahel

The underlying links between climate pressures and mixed migration

As environmental degradation, extreme weather, and resource scarcity become more pronounced, communities across Burkina Faso, Mali, and Chad are experiencing pressures that contribute to complex mobility patterns. This snapshot offers preliminary insights into how environmental factors, are shaping international migration decisions in the region.

Drawing on data from 5,232 migrant surveys conducted between 2023 and 2024, the snapshot explores the underlying connections between climate change and migration, emphasizing that environmental drivers do not operate in isolation but interact with economic vulnerability, legal status, gender, and geography.