Intersections of climate, security and human mobility in the community of Cedeño, Marcovia, department of Choluteca, Honduras

Palou-Zuniga, N.; Higuera-Florez, J. (2025) Intersections of climate, security and human mobility in the community of Cedeño, Marcovia, department of Choluteca, Honduras. CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security. 54 p.

Recent research has determined the importance of analyzing the relationship between climate variability and the dynamics of insecurity, violence and human mobility in Honduras and other countries in the region. Most of these efforts tend to focus on data and studies that demonstrate the correlations between these variables at the regional or national level in order to inform programs and strategies for climate change, citizen security, migration, displacement, natural resource management, food security, among others. However, this study aims to make a local level analysis of these interrelationships to capture the climatic, environmental, social, economic and cultural specificities of a single community: Cedeño, municipality of Marcovia, department of Choluteca. This proposal aims to highlight the importance of understanding local specificities in order to inform as accurately as possible the eventual policies, programs, strategies or interventions designed for the region.

Using qualitative methodologies with an ethnographic and participatory approach, this report identifies and develops the local causal pathways of the climate security and human mobility nexus in the community of Cedeño, accounting for local experiences and the need to address the problems studied in a systemic and participatory method. Thus, the five causal pathways of climate security and human mobility identified in this community were:

1. Displacements caused by coastal erosion and flooding shape the dynamics of conflict and cooperation around access to basic services and land tenure in safe areas.

2. Some individuals and families in flood zones experience involuntary immobility, exacerbating their vulnerability and associated human security risks.

3. Environmental degradation influenced by economic activities impacts livelihoods, exacerbating human security risks and increasing people's climate vulnerability.

4. Climate impacts and hydrological phenomena that impact the main livelihood force mobility towards neighboring areas with greater marine and coastal resources, increasing the safety risks for fishermen.

5. Human mobility to rural, urban and international destinations generates opportunities to cope with the loss of traditional livelihoods, although it is also associated with perceptions and risks of insecurity.

Similarly, this research includes seven collective action proposals from the inhabitants of the village of Cedeño to address the interrelated issues of climate, security and human mobility in the community. It is important to emphasize that just as the causal pathways analysis highlighted the need to recognize and address the problems in a systemic way, these proposals and action plans also aim to implement systemic solutions to the challenges analyzed. As in the identification and development of local causal pathways, the participatory approach was fundamental in the formulation of these proposals, ensuring that the solutions reflect the experiences, needs and priorities of the community's inhabitants.