Flussi migratori e conflitti ambientali: L'esempio della valle dell'OMO

The best definition of “environmental refugees” is usually considered as the one provided by Norman Myers: environmental refugees are people who can no longer gain a secure livelihood in their homelands because of drought, and other environmental problems, together with associated problems of population pressures and profound poverty. In their desperation, local populations may be forced to relocate in order to achieve better living conditions. Economic pressures, political upheavals, Environmental Conflicts are some of the issues which millions of people face white thay are seeking for better life abroad. By 2050, these climate refugees could be number more than 200 million. Typical examples in this context are for example changes in the availability of fresh water, or increase in the intensity of extreme events and consequent raise of human exposure and vulnerability. In Ethiopya, the future of these tribes lies in the balance. A massive hydroelectric dam and associated land grabs for plantations threaten the tribes of the Lower Omo River to support vast commercial plantations that are forcing the tribes from their land.