In search of a Habitable Future: Scenario Narratives to Explore Future Habitability and Mobility in Climate-Vulnerable Areas of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali and Thailand 

The policy brief In Search of a Habitable Future: Scenario Narratives to Explore Future Habitability and Mobility in Climate-Vulnerable Areas of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali and Thailand (D7.3) presents scenario narratives developed under the HABITABLE project as videos to explore future habitability and mobility in climate-vulnerable regions of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, and Thailand.

 These narratives aim to provide a nuanced understanding of climate change impacts on migration beyond quantitative projections, emphasizing lived experiences at the community level as they were developed on the basis of the project’s empirical research and in cooperation with local partners. 

The scenario narratives were developed using a method of exploring possible futures called “backcasting” where rather than forecasting on the basis of current trends, these types of scenarios “backcast”, creating histories for a future point in time. This allows for setting aspirational futures and creating space for policymakers to consider which policies need to be pursued to achieve these futures. The policy brief, on the basis of the themes explored in the scenario narratives, provides an overview of implications and recommendations for policymakers. 

The brief provides a written overview of the work done in producing the videos, serving as a methodological overview, technical background document, and a policy implication and recommendation document in order to support the multimedia messaging in the videos. The brief outlines the themes highlighted in the videos to clearly outline the most salient policy topics identified in the individual country contexts serving as reference point for future discussions with policymakers in creating solutions to address these challenges.