Climate change and its consequences are among the greatest challenges facing the global community, with the potential to radically alter the structures of communities, states and international cooperation. As weather patterns shift and natural resources diminish, climate change is likely to threaten geopolitical stability, particularly in politically fragile states and for impoverished communities and other vulnerable groups. Among the many approaching challenges is climate change-related migration. Climate change will fundamentally reshape migration patterns around the world; as people choose to migrate to find safety and economic opportunities, their movements will affect how states manage their borders and national security and will further strain the already burdened mechanisms that help guide migration flows locally and internationally. The pressure of climate-related migration in both origin and destination communities requires rethinking international initiatives and national frameworks governing migration and resettlement. Without engaging in the relevant research, analysis and policymaking now, we may soon face a serious challenge as states struggle to adjust their immigration and national security policies to respond to a cycle of climate change impacts and migration.

These challenges are not borne equally. Women and men are shaped by their communities and cultures. In many places, women lack access to political, economic and social decision making and have limited financial and material resources. When a shock occurs, such as those caused by climate change impacts, it leaves women especially vulnerable and makes migration particularly arduous. Yet women will also be critical to determining the response to such events. Particularly in developing countries and in rural communities, women are often household managers and family caregivers, and they will bear much of the responsibility for moving their families and communities between towns, countries and continents. In order to understand the potential impacts of climate change-related migration, it is critical to understand women's roles and experiences. As responsive new policies and approaches are being designed, it is equally critical for women's perspectives, needs and expertise to be centred.

Over the past two decades, the field of Women, Peace and Security (WPS) research has re-examined long-standing assumptions about security processes, conflict prevention and resolution, and governance. Climate change-related migration is one such impending challenge that will require a significant shift in humanitarian response as well as legal and institutional norms, particularly to avoid future security threats and conflict.