Nansen Initiative

Nansen Initiative
Name	Nansen Initiative
Formation	2012
Founders	Norway, Switzerland
Type	International consultative process
Headquarters	Geneva

Nansen Initiative The Nansen Initiative was a state-led, consultative process launched in 2012 by Norway and Switzerland to build consensus on protection for people displaced across borders by disasters, including those linked to environmental change and climate change. It convened representatives from states, United Nations agencies, regional organizations, humanitarian actors, and civil society to develop a humanitarian and policy framework addressing cross-border disaster displacement. The Initiative culminated in the 2015 Protection Agenda, followed by the establishment of successor processes in international fora.

Background and Origins

The Initiative was inspired in part by historical precedents such as the work of Fridtjof Nansen and legal instruments like the 1951 Refugee Convention and the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. Its creation drew on growing scientific assessments from bodies including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and disaster response experience from International Committee of the Red Cross, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Regional crises, for example the Indian Ocean tsunami and cyclones affecting Bangladesh and Philippines, underscored protection gaps for populations displaced across borders by sudden-onset hazards and slow-onset processes linked to sea level rise and desertification. The Initiative was announced at diplomatic venues including meetings in Oslo and formalized through consultations in Geneva and at the United Nations General Assembly.

Mandate and Objectives

The Initiative’s mandate focused on developing practical consensus rather than new binding law, aligning with multilateral processes such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Objectives included identifying protection gaps for displaced persons, promoting state-to-state cooperation—emphasizing dialogues among affected states like Indonesia, Philippines, Pacific Islands Forum members such as Tuvalu and Kiribati—and producing non-legally binding guidance to enhance preparedness and response. It sought to engage international agencies including UNHCR, IOM, UNDP, and regional bodies like the African Union and the European Union.

Key Activities and Processes

Activities combined national consultations, regional dialogues, expert meetings, and global consultations. The Initiative organized regional preparatory meetings in regions including the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia (involving Thailand, Malaysia), Central America (engaging Honduras, Guatemala》), and the Horn of Africa (involving Somalia, Ethiopia). It commissioned research from academic institutions such as University College London, London School of Economics, and think tanks including the International Institute for Environment and Development and Overseas Development Institute. Processes involved collaboration with humanitarian organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières, Norwegian Refugee Council, and legal scholars associated with the International Law Commission and the Asser Institute.

Outcomes and the Protection Agenda

The primary outcome was the Protection Agenda (2015), a state-led, consultative set of recommendations emphasizing comprehensive approaches to cross-border disaster displacement. The Agenda proposed measures across preparedness, protection-sensitive migration, planned relocation, and durable solutions, referencing instruments such as the Nairobi Declaration-style practices and linking to the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. It recommended enhancing regional cooperation mechanisms among organizations like the Pacific Islands Forum, ASEAN, and the African Union, and called for capacity building involving World Bank resilience programs and Asian Development Bank initiatives. The Initiative spurred follow-up arrangements, including a successor platform hosted by the International Organization for Migration and discussions within UNFCCC negotiations.

Governance, Funding, and Stakeholders

Governance rested with a Steering Group established by Norway and Switzerland and included states from all regions, alongside partners such as UNHCR, IOM, UNDP, and ICRC. Funding came from donor states including Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, and philanthropic entities engaged with resilience programming like the Rockefeller Foundation. Stakeholders included national authorities from affected states such as Bangladesh, Philippines, Fiji, and Vanuatu, regional bodies including CARICOM, civil society representatives including NGOs like the Red Cross movement, and academic networks such as the Environmental Law Institute.

Reception, Impact, and Criticism

Reception among states and international organizations was mixed: many praised the Initiative for elevating cross-border displacement on the agendas of UNHCR, IOM, and UNFCCC, while some critics highlighted its non-binding nature compared with treaties like the 1951 Refugee Convention. Human rights advocates and scholars from institutions including Oxford University, Harvard University, and Columbia University noted the Protection Agenda’s practical guidance but urged stronger legal protections and accountability mechanisms. Critics argued limited uptake in domestic law and the need for clearer mechanisms for planned relocation reminiscent of precedents like the Kiribati relocation discussions. The Initiative influenced subsequent policy platforms and scholarly work in journals associated with Cambridge University Press and Springer Nature and fed into regional compacts and funding streams managed by agencies including the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery.

Category:Disaster displacement policy