MODERATOR
Dennis Mombauer
Cristobal Lopez
PANELISTS
Monday, October 27, 2025
11:30am-1:00pm EST
Session 3.1
Climate-Related Human Mobility Across Different Levels of Governance: Current Global State of Planning and Implementation
Abstract
Human mobility in the context of climate change—including migration, displacement, planned relocation, and involuntary immobility—is closely connected to climate risks, vulnerabilities, or fragility in origin, transit, and destination areas. It can act as a threat or risk multiplier but also contribute to strengthening adaptive capacities, development, and climate resilience if those on the move have agency and are supported by robust policies, legal frameworks, and interventions. Fundamentally, mobility is a constant of human existence that interacts with climate change in complex and context-specific ways that must be understood based on evidence to develop holistic solutions.
Human mobility has increasingly been incorporated into climate policy processes and plans at both global and national level. However, there are still gaps when it comes to effective and inclusive ways of implementing relevant considerations across different levels of governance; connecting them with existing policy frameworks; understanding their impact; and addressing the needs of vulnerable groups and communities in situations of (im)mobility.
This session will explore challenges and solutions based on regional and global research inputs and a case studies or experiences shared by participants in an interactive format. The discussion will be facilitated and moderated by SLYCAN Trust but invites active participation to shape the content and collect lessons learned and good practices on human mobility in the context of climate change across the globe.
Bios
Dennis Mombauer
Dennis has more than a decade of experience working in research, management, administration, and coordination in the private and the development sector. His key areas of work include coordination of research, knowledge management, and communication across various projects, covering thematic areas related to climate change, climate finance, adaptation and resilience, loss and damage, human mobility, climate risk management, just transition, sustainable development, ecosystem conservation, and other related topics.
Dennis was the lead researcher for country profiles for National Adaptation Plan development in seven African and Asian countries, the co-lead for research on adaptation and loss and damage in Nationally Determined Contributions of three South Asian countries, and co-lead for the development of a variety of national and regional case studies on loss and damage, human mobility, and climate risk management. Dennis has also coordinated workshop series, summits, consultations, and other events. He is a member of international forums and platforms such as the Climate, Migration, and Displacement Platform or the Advisory Board of the Platform on Disaster Displacement, as well as technical expert groups including the gender and impact working groups of the InsuResilience Global Partnership, UNFCCC technical working groups, and the Reference Group for the Baseline Analysis Report under the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration. Dennis is a regular contributor to national and international media outlets as well as research and scientific publications (e.g., Palgrave, Routledge, Earth Island Journal, Mongabay, Daily Financial Times, or The Straits Times). Furthermore, he has been a participating observer to several meetings of the Subsidiary Bodies and the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC as well as to constituted bodies (e.g., Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism, Adaptation Committee, Standing Committee on Finance). Dennis holds a master’s degree in education, English studies, and philosophy from the University of Cologne.
Cristobal Lopez
Cristobal has experience as a consultant, researcher, thesis tutor, university professor, and project officer supporting the implementation of a disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation project in Nicaragua.
During his work at SLYCAN Trust as Intern and Programme and Administrative Officer, he has contributed to the “Briefing Note: Human Mobility in National Adaptation Plans (Updated Version)” (2024) and the “Research Report: Climate-Related Human Mobility Across Different Levels of Adaptation Governance: Lessons from adaptation planning and implementation in Costa Rica, Senegal, Sri Lanka, and around the world” (2025).
His educational background includes a Master's in Natural Resources Management and Development from the University of Cologne in Germany, a Master's in Environmental Sciences from San Luis Potosí University in Mexico, postgraduate studies in Assessment and Management of Geological and Climate related Risks (CERG-C) from the University of Geneva in Switzerland, and a Bachelor's in Environmental Engineering from Universidad Centroamericana in Nicaragua.