Climate-Related Migration & Displacement: Crossing the Threshold of Habitability
![Warm sunrise as seen from clouds in the sky in background. Cutout profile image of Dr. Julia Blocher in bottom right corner. Text: "Climate-Related Migration & Displacement: Crossing the Threshold of Habitability. Fri., Feb. 28, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Ahmadieh Family Grand Hall (Gross 330). Learn more: duke.is/feb28upep. Speaker: Dr. Julia Blocher, Project Manager & Scientist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). Part of the Nicholas Institute & UPEP Environmental Institutions Seminar Series. Logos included for the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Nicholas School of the Environment, and Sanford School of Public Policy.](/images/2025/20250228/de223b8907b8dd180b96329562e69f53-CR-20250228-UPEP-Blocher_DUKECAL_20250210041111PM.png "Warm sunrise as seen from clouds in the sky in background. Cutout profile image of Dr. Julia Blocher in bottom right corner. Text: "Climate-Related Migration & Displacement: Crossing the Threshold of Habitability. Fri., Feb. 28, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Ahmadieh Family Grand Hall (Gross 330). Learn more: duke.is/feb28upep. Speaker: Dr. Julia Blocher, Project Manager & Scientist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). Part of the Nicholas Institute & UPEP Environmental Institutions Seminar Series. Logos included for the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Nicholas School of the Environment, and Sanford School of Public Policy.")
Students, faculty and staff are invited to attend the first Nicholas Institute and UPEP Environmental Institutions Seminar Series presentation of the spring 2025 semester. Our speaker will be Dr. Julia M. Blocher, Project Lead and Scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). No registration required.
The concept of habitability-encompassing the sociocultural, economic, and environmental dimensions that determine a place's capacity to sustain human life and livelihoods-offers crucial insights into thresholds for climate-related migration and displacement. This presentation builds on interdisciplinary, multimethod, and multisite research to explore how habitability is influenced by the complex, nonlinear, and cumulative impacts of climate change. It also highlights how perceptions of habitability vary significantly both within and across communities, underscoring the compounding challenges to migration management, rural development, social cohesion, and public health. Going beyond simplistic global models of climate displacement, this presentation offers actionable recommendations for inclusive, locally relevant policies that prioritize vulnerable populations and foster equitable responses to climate-induced migration and displacement.
SPEAKER BIO
Dr. Julia M. Blocher is a Project Lead and Scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), where she leads interdisciplinary research on climate-related migration, displacement, and planned relocations. She recently concluded the HABITABLE project, the largest initiative on climate-related migration ever funded by the European Union. Dr. Blocher also serves as President of the International Youth Federation (IYF), an international non-profit dedicated to youth empowerment.
Part of the UPEP Environmental Institutions Seminar Series, organized by the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability and the University Program in Environmental Policy (UPEP), a doctoral degree program jointly offered by the Nicholas School of the Environment and Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University.
This is an in-person event with no virtual viewing option.
