There’s a Powerful, Hidden Force Behind Migration: Climate Change
Two months after swimming across the breakwaters to Ceuta, Spain, Mohamed learned that his asylum claim was denied. In late July, at his home in Tangier, Mohamed didn’t hesitate when he received a social media alert that the border crossing between Morocco and the Spanish enclave had opened. He hopped in a friend’s car, drove […]
In July 2022, a mass migration occurred from Morocco to Ceuta, Spain, with an estimated 80,000 people crossing the border over 48 hours. This was the largest recorded migrant crossing between Africa and the European Union. Among them was Mohamed, who swam across the breakwaters to reach Ceuta despite being denied asylum in Spain.
The crossing was made even more dangerous by extreme temperatures, wildfires, flash floods, and landslides in Morocco. Climate change, while not the sole cause, played a role in creating the economic crisis that forced many to leave their homes in search of better opportunities. The mass crossing sparked headlines describing it as a humanitarian crisis and a national emergency, but the underlying cause was climate change.
Experts agree that every story of human movement now is a climate story, as climate change exacerbates migration in various ways.
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