At COP31 in Antalya, Amy Pope, director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), warned that more than 200 million people in highly climate-vulnerable communities could be forced to move without action.

The scale of the challenge is already clear: IOM data show that storms, droughts, wildfires, extreme temperatures and floods displaced nearly 30 million people in 2025.

Pope argued that governments spend billions on border security while underinvesting in measures to address climate change and the underlying causes of migration.

She said climate adaptation is estimated to cost about $310 billion, while only around $30 billion in funding has been provided.

Pope said helping communities adapt would be more humane and cost-effective than responding to irregular migration after it happens, a response that can be costly and cost lives.

She urged countries to address climate-related and conflict-driven migration together, and criticized the absence of several heads of state from COP31, calling on all countries to help develop solutions.