The seas are rising in Senegal and driving people from coastal cities to either migrate inland or leave for Europe. Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis (Senegal) sociology professor Mamadou Dimé connects the dots between climate change and migration among the country's youth.
InfoMigrants: What is the reality of climate change in Senegal and why is it pushing people to leave?
Dimé: Different studies and data show that Senegal is vulnerable to climate change. It is wedged between Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south and 700 kilometers of coast to the west. The long coastline has been problematic for communities that depend on fishing to make a living, because of destructive waves [which damage houses and buildings along the coast], desertification near the border with Mauritania and the recurrence of heat waves. Saint Louis, Kayar and Kafountine are cities and communities particularly vulnerable to climate change, since they are located on the coast.
Fishing deals signed by the Senegalese government with the European Union (EU) and China have led to what is often called “the pillaging of resources”. [Editor's note: Foreign trawlers are massive boats that fish in the same areas as small Senegalese fishing boats (pirogues). these vessels can catch 300 times the amount a pirogue can catch in one trip].
These sorts of problems render it difficult for fishermen to earn money, especially with inflation causing everything to become more expensive.
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InfoMigrants: Climate change and public policy are clearly making it increasingly difficult for fishermen in Senegal to earn a living. Why does the idea of migrating to Europe hold a certain allure for Senegal’s youth?
Dimé: Irregular migration [to Europe] is the last resort for those who chose to leave. Internal migration [within Senegal or Western Africa] and finding a new occupation are solutions, but they don't always work. The act of leaving for Europe is surrounded by many representations and myths among Senegal’s youth. Many think that it is the only way to achieve social ascension, i.e., they see it as a path to rapid wealth. These perceptions are reinforced when someone succeeds in taking a pirogue to Spain. In the years that follow, their neighbors witness changes: a house that is built, a family that takes a trip to Mecca. These are all signs of someone who migrated and made enough money to help their family who stayed behind.
Yet there are cultural factors too. In Senegal the idea of traveling is celebrated: one needs to leave their country to test their capacities and gain knowledge about the world. It is a way to escape and perhaps have a profession that one wouldn't have in Senegal.
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InfoMigrants: What kind of policies would you recommend for combating climate change and allowing people to stay where they live?
Dimé: Before anything, there needs to be climate justice. The countries confronted by climate change are not the countries which are the most responsible for it. Mechanisms need to be instituted to help communities of fishermen and farmers resist the changes [changes in fish stock availability, coastal erosion, sea level rise, tidal waves and flooding, rising temperatures, land degradation and desertification, according to the World Bank] and relocate, if necessary. Implementing financing mechanisms to allow people to make a decent living is another solution.
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InfoMigrants: Senegal recently struck a €2.5 billion deal with the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom and Canada to develop renewable energy and speed up its transition to a low-carbon economy. Do you think the deal will make a difference in the lives of people impacted by climate change?
Dimé: Financing from the EU often comes with requirements attached. EU leaders tend to say, “We will help you, but first you need to stem the migrant flows from your country.” The money often ends up in the hands of the state, but it rarely trickles down to the community level.
Promises have been made to candidates for reinsertion in order to convince them to come back to Senegal, but they do not always receive the money. Senegal is among the countries which receive the most financial aid from abroad, but it hasn’t stopped people from making multiple attempts to leave.
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