Claire Kumar

May 24, 2024 | odi.org | Claire Kumar

ODI Europe together with the European Think Tanks Group, ECDPM and The Nordic Africa Institute held a recent event in Brussels – 'The EU-Africa migration agenda – realising a new partnership'. Ahead of the new European Commission and the 3rd AU-EU ministerial summit, the panel aimed to explore challenges and concerns around migration and gather recommendations for charting a new path in future.

May 22, 2024 | euronews.com | Claire Kumar

Have you tried getting a plumber in recently? So has Europe’s construction sector – without much luck. The sector needs to carry out a massive wave of renovations in the coming years to meet the EU’s climate goals. This includes changing gas boilers for heat pumps and insulating older buildings, all while keeping up with demand for new homes. Construction firms will need to recruit migrant workers because there aren’t nearly enough people with the necessary skills in domestic labour forces.

Mar 28, 2024 | odi.org | Claire Kumar

The challenge for Europe to reach net zero is immense, with ambitious targets to build up solar and and . The EU must almost double the pace of installations to achieve its targets for decarbonizing buildings. However, the EU’s green skills shortages are enormous; the solar, wind, and retrofitting industries are sounding the alarm. While workforce challenges are daunting, too few look at the role migrant workers – including refugees – could play in supporting a rapid green transition.

Mar 5, 2024 | odi.org | Sara Pantuliano |Michai Robertson |Claire Kumar |Gaia Vince

Between 2008 and 2016, 21.5 million people a year were forcibly displaced from their homes by weather-related events, and the UNHCR predicts that globally, 1.2 billion people could be displaced by 2050 due to climate change. This represents a hugely impactful but often overlooked consequence of climate change – one we are ill equipped to deal with.

Feb 29, 2024 | odi.org | Claire Kumar |David Donoghue

Ireland has made significant commitments to retrofitting residential buildings and to scaling up the construction of new homes to address the country’s chronic housing shortage. This study looks at how Ireland could use immigration policy to support workforce development in the construction sector. Key findingsThe scale of the challenge to meet national targets is immense, and the availability of labour is now the single biggest barrier.