Facilitators: Amali Tower, Todd Miller, Nik Evasco
Nik Evasco graduated with a master's in Migration Studies from the University of San Francisco in 2019.

Climate change is driving migration, but responsible polluting countries are using surveillance technology to not only keep migrants out, but also obfuscate the message and securitize migrants as the threat instead of the real threat of climate change.

We aim to hold a discussion with technologists, activists, journalists and researchers, where we present how climate change is driving migration and displacement. Such migration across borders is expected to increase, which could present legal gaps for the displaced at a time when countries are already hostile to migrants and refugees. Rich, high-emitting countries, aware of the legal gaps that cross-border climate migration poses, are choosing to finance border walls, tech surveillance and border enforcement rather than finance climate mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage that would actually help migrants-at risk. importantly, polluting countries are using surveillance technologies that violate migrant and refugee rights, environmental, digital and privacy rights.