Welcome to the Data Justice Research Fellowship

A flagship program of the Climate Action Lab, the Data Justice Research Fellowship empowers researchers, practitioners, and advocates worldwide to co-create and advance innovative approaches to data justice in the context of climate migration.

This unique fellowship fosters collaboration among stakeholders, builds capacities in data governance, and centers the voices of marginalized communities affected by climate-induced migration.

Why Data Justice in Climate Migration?

As climate change reshapes ecosystems, livelihoods, and communities, the phenomenon of climate migration intensifies. Yet, data governance frameworks often fail to address critical issues of equity, representation, and power imbalances.

The Data Justice Research Fellowship seeks to:

1. Challenge exploitative data practices in migration policy.

2. Elevate community-centered approaches in collecting, sharing, and using migration data.

3. Influence global narratives and policies with ethically sourced, context-sensitive insights.

Through participatory and interdisciplinary approaches, we work to ensure data systems are inclusive, transparent, and aligned with human rights principles.

About the Fellowship

The Data Justice Research Fellowship brings together a diverse cohort of fellows from multiple disciplines and geographies. Fellows collaborate with local and global partners to design, test, and scale data justice programs tailored to the realities of climate migration.

Key Features:

• Global Collaboration: Fellows work across borders to co-design solutions addressing local and international challenges in climate migration.

• Community Engagement: Programs prioritize the agency and participation of communities impacted by climate migration.

• Capacity Building: Access to cutting-edge training in data governance, policy design, and participatory methodologies.

• Applied Research: Fellows produce actionable insights and recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and communities.

Program Structure

1. Onboarding and Training
   Fellows participate in an intensive orientation that introduces core concepts of data justice, participatory data governance, and climate migration.

2. Co-Design and Piloting
   Each fellow collaborates with community stakeholders to design and implement a localized data justice initiative. These initiatives may include:

   • Ethical data collection frameworks for displaced populations.

   • Community-driven data visualization tools to advocate for equitable policies.

   • Mechanisms to protect migrants’ data privacy and prevent misuse.

3. Knowledge Exchange
   Fellows convene quarterly for peer-to-peer learning sessions and knowledge-sharing workshops, fostering an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas.

4. Policy Engagement
   Insights from fellows’ projects are synthesized into actionable recommendations, presented at an annual Data Justice in Climate Action Summit attended by global policymakers and influencers.

Who Can Apply?

We welcome applicants from all disciplines and sectors, including:

• Researchers and academics in migration, climate change, or data governance.

• Practitioners working with climate-affected communities.

• Advocates and activists championing human rights and climate justice.

• Technologists and innovators exploring ethical data applications.

Applicants should demonstrate:

• A strong commitment to data justice principles.

• A clear understanding of the intersection between climate change and migration.

• An ability to engage with diverse stakeholders and co-design solutions.

Become a Fellow

Applications for the next cohort open on [date].
Stay informed by subscribing to our newsletter or contacting us at [email].

Our Commitment

The Climate Action Lab believes in equitable, inclusive, and community-centered innovation. The Data Justice Research Fellowship reflects our mission to co-create solutions that empower communities and ensure data systems serve as tools of justice in the face of climate change.

Join us in advancing data justice for a more equitable future.

Contact Us
Email: info@climateactionlab.org
Phone: [Phone Number]
Follow Us: [Social Media Links]

Climate Action Lab – Innovating for Justice in a Changing Climate

20 Possible Research Themes: Climate Migration and Data Justice

1. Community-Centered Data Sovereignty

   • Investigating frameworks to ensure climate migrants retain control over their personal and community data.

2. Ethical Data Collection in Crisis Zones

   • Developing protocols for ethically collecting migration data during natural disasters or slow-onset climate events.

3. Bias in Predictive Migration Models

   • Examining how AI and machine learning models may perpetuate biases in forecasting climate migration patterns.

4. Privacy Risks in Migration Tracking Systems

   • Exploring vulnerabilities in digital systems used to monitor displaced populations and their movements.

5. Intersectionality in Migration Data

   • Understanding how race, gender, age, and other identities shape experiences of climate migration and data representation.

6. Data Governance in Cross-Border Migration

   • Assessing how regional and international agreements address data justice for climate migrants crossing borders.

7. Representation of Indigenous Knowledge in Migration Data

   • Analyzing how Indigenous perspectives and data are incorporated—or excluded—from climate migration narratives.

8. The Role of Big Data in Migration Policy

   • Evaluating how governments and organizations use large datasets to make decisions about climate-induced displacement.

9. Digital Inclusion for Migrant Communities

   • Investigating how technology can ensure displaced communities participate equitably in data systems.

10. Data as a Tool for Advocacy

    • Exploring the use of participatory mapping and storytelling to amplify migrant voices in policy-making processes.

11. Climate Resilience Metrics and Migration

    • Developing indicators that integrate data justice into assessments of community resilience to climate displacement.

12. Ethical Implications of Climate Migration Algorithms

    • Analyzing the ethical challenges of using algorithms to allocate resources to climate migrants.

13. Impact of Surveillance on Migrant Rights

    • Studying the balance between migration monitoring and protecting migrants’ privacy and human rights.

14. Data Gaps in Urban Climate Migration

    • Identifying gaps in data collection and representation for migrants settling in urban areas due to climate impacts.

15. Governance of Humanitarian Data for Climate Migrants

    • Investigating how international agencies manage and share data about displaced populations while ensuring equity.

16. Digital Identity for Climate Migrants

    • Examining how digital identity systems can support or hinder access to services and rights for climate migrants.

17. Climate Migration, Data Colonialism, and Power

    • Deconstructing the role of data in reinforcing neo-colonial power dynamics in migration governance.

18. Participatory Data Justice Frameworks

    • Co-designing methodologies that include migrants in the creation and governance of migration-related datasets.

19. Data-Driven Stigmatization of Climate Migrants

    • Exploring how data is used to shape negative narratives or policies around climate migration.

20. Open Data for Local Climate Adaptation

    • Investigating the potential of open data to empower local communities in adapting to climate-driven migration challenges.