Modern slavery experts and geographers at the University of Nottingham have won funding to investigate how the UK government can better protect people exposed to the impacts of both modern slavery and climate change by integrating associated policies.

Funded by the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (Modern Slavery PEC), academics from the university’s Rights Lab and School of Geography are working with antislavery organisations Transparentem and International Justice Mission (IJM UK).

As climate change increases in severity and occurrence, the vulnerability of populations already subject to economic and social exploitation increases, as people are pushed into more desperate situations to survive and provide for their families.

Understanding the intersection between anti-slavery interventions and climate change mitigation is key to the project. The experts will explore how the UK government and devolved administrations can enhance support for people by combining policies, known as mainstreaming, to address the interrelated issues.

Researchers will draw together expertise on both modern slavery and climate change by evaluating current legislation, gathering evidence on countries that have produced effective actions, stakeholder mapping and focus groups with government departments. They will develop a risk assessment which will look at the unintended consequences of climate policies that increase modern slavery risk and will recommend areas for improvement and new potential actions to address climate change and modern slavery.

Dr Bethany Jackson, in the Rights Lab, is leading the project - she said: "“In order to address climate change, the effects of modern slavery must be accounted for. The UK showed global leadership in these areas by introducing the Modern Slavery Act (2015) and during COP26 in Glasgow."