The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General claimed during the last Climate Conference COP25 that the “impact on all life on the planet [from climate change] – including ours – will be catastrophic”. However, the climate crisis is already a reality for displaced refugees. Due to several natural disasters including cyclones, floods, and bushfires, almost 9.8 million people were displaced in the first six months of 2020.
THE MOST AFFECTED AREAS
By 2070, almost 20% of the world´s land mass will be unhabitable. The Dry Corridor, the tropical dry forest region extending from Mexico to Panama, is one of those places. People from Central American nations have been migrating north for decades in search of better life opportunities. However, climate change is going to aggravating the situation. In recent years, this region has been characterized by severe droughts and floods, causing food insecurity and massive displacement movements. This has changed the motivations behind migration. As such, migrants are no longer seeking better socioeconomic conditions. They are migrating for survival.
A similar situation is happening in the African Sahel. The area has traditionally been hit by conflict, but now the population is also being displaced by the consequences of climate change. Similarly, natural disasters are also forcing the Asian population to flee their land. By way of example, India accounts for almost 2.7 million new displacements alone.
However, the most vulnerable countries are in Oceania. Rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions are exposing island nations to the risk of sinking. In 2014, Kiribati became the first island state to buy land in another country to allocate its climate refugees, and guarantee the availability of food.
THE NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
After the European refugee crisis in 2015, it is clear that the international community is not ready for what could possibly be the biggest migration movement ever see. Yet, the most concerning thing about this topic is the lack of an accepted international definition of climate refugees. The 1951 Refugee Convention, the most important international agreement defining and covering the rights of refugees, does not recognize them. This lack of inclusion means that there is no international legal protection that explicitly defends climate migrants.
More promisingly, the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC), in a landmark decision, ruled that “climate refugees cannot be sent back home” earlier this year. This precedent supports the idea that “the international community [needs] to take measures to protect and, where necessary relocate its population”. Although this is a step in the right direction, there is still a long way to go.
Governments, especially those of the most polluting countries, must commit to fighting climate change and adhere to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. Both adopted in 2015, present a solution for all the future problems related to climate change. While the 17 SDGs advocate for a more sustainable future, the Paris Agreement aims to tackle climate change directly. If states do not implement these initiatives, the future of humanity is at stake. We need international action, or we all might be refugees in the near future.
Raquel holds a Bachelor´s in International Relations and is currently studying a Masters in Political Communication in Spain. She is a trained Climate Reality Leader and has experience working for human rights organizations. She is interested in political advocacy, environmental justice, women´s rights, and the promotion of international cooperation.