ENVIRONMENTAL-INDUCED DISPLACEMENT: POTENTIAL PROTECTION UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW?

Irawati Handayani, Anisa Fauziah

Abstract

Climate change, environmental degradation, and natural disasters are some of the push factors of cross-border displacement. The consequence of this movement is the loss of legal protection from the country of origin of the displaced persons. They are not categorized as refugees as such and no international law specifically regulates the protection of climate displaced persons. This paper will try to analyze the legal protection of climate refugees based on international law. The paper elaborates the context of migration caused by climate change and its relevance with the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugee, possibility of interpretation of the convention to cover environmental induced displacement and protection under international human rights instruments. The research concludes that it is quite difficult to include climate change-induced displacement under the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugee even through interpretation. However, it does not mean that the people cannot be protected. International law, especially International Human Rights Law extends protection to peoples belongs to that group.

Keywords

Climate change; displacement

Full Text:

PDF

References

Biermann, F & Boas, I. (2010). Preparing for a Warmer World: Towards a Global Governance System to Protect Climate Refugees. Global Environmental Politics, 10(1), 60–88.

Change, I. P. on C. (2014). Climate Change 2014 Synthesis Report Summary for Policymakers.

Cooper, J. B. (1996). Environmental Refugees: Meeting the Requirements of the Refugee Definition. New York University Environmental Law Journal, 6.

Epiney, A. (2011). Environmental Refugees: Aspect of the Law of State Responsibility. In Migration and Climate Change. Cambridge Universitu Press.

Faist, T. (2013). Disentangling Migration and Climate Change. In Springer. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6208-4

Feller, E. (2006). Asylum, Migration and Refugee Protection: Realities, Myths and the Promise of Things to Come. International Journal of Refugee Law, 18, 509–536.

Ferris, E. (et. al. (2011). On the Front Line of Climate Change and Displacement: Learning from and With Pacific Island Countries. the Brooking Institutions.

Foster, M. (2007). International Refugee Law and Socio-Economic Rights. Cambridge University Press.

Friedman, L. (n.d.). How Will Climate Refugees Impact National Security. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-refugees-national-security/

Gill, Goodwin & McAdam, J. (2007). The Refugee in International Law. Oxford University Press.

Gill, Guy S Goodwin & Mc Adam, J. (2017). UNHCR and Climate Change, Disaster and Displacement. UNHCR.

Hathaway, James C & Foster, M. (2014). The Law of Refugee Status. Cambridge University Press.

Islam, Rafiqul & Bhuiyan, J. H. (eds. . (2013). An Introduction to International Refugee Law. In Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling (Vol. 53, Issue 9). Martinus Nijhoff Publisher.

Keane, D. (2004). the Environmental Causes and Consequences of Migration: a Search for the Meaning of “Environmental Refugees.” Geo. Int’l Envtl. L. Rev., 16(2), 209–224.

Kolmannskog, V. O. (2008). Future Floods of the Refugees: A Comment on Climate Change, Conflict and Forced Migration. Norwegian Refugee Council.

Laczko, Frank & Aghazarm, C. (eds. (2009a). Migration, Environment, And Climate Change: Assessing The Evidence. International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Laczko, Frank & Aghazarm, C. (eds. . (2009b). Migration, Environment, And Climate Change: Assessing The Evidence.

Lauterpacht, E. & Bethlehem, D. (2003). The Scope and Content of the Principle of Non- Refoulement: Opinion. In Refugee Protection in International Law: unhcr’s Global Consultations on International Protection (pp. 87–177). Cambridge University Press.

Mc Adam, J. (2007). Complementary Protection in International Refugee Law. Oxford University Press.

Mc Adam, J. (2012). Climate Change, Forced Migration and International Law. Oxford University Press.

Millbank, A. (n.d.). The Problem with the 1951 Refugee Convention. 2000. Retrieved April 28, 2019, from https://www.aph.gov.au/about_parliament/parliamentary_departments/parliamentary_library/pubs/rp/rp0001/01rp05

Musgrave, T. (2005). Refugees. In Public International Law: An Australian Perspective (p. 301). Oxford University Press.

Myers, Norman & Kent, J. (1995). Environmental Exodus: an Emergent Crisis in the Global Arena”,. Project of The Climate Institute.

Naik, A. (2009). Migration and Natural Disaster. In C. Laczko, Frank & Sghazarm (Ed.), Migration, Environment, And Climate Change: Assessing the Evidence (p. 252). IOM.

Ioane Teitiota v. Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, (2015).

Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Relationship between Climate Change and Human Rights - UN Doc. A/HRC/10/61, paras 55.

Pender, J. (2008). Community-Led Adaptation in Bangladesh. Forced Migration Review, 31(54).

Ponn, J. (2017). Addressing the Protection Gap of Environmental Refugees: A Reform of the 1951 Refugee Convention? Groningen Journal of International Law.

Ragheboom, Helene. (2017). The International Legal Status and Protection of Environmentally-Displaced Persons: A European Perspective. Brill Nijhoff.

Ragheboom, Hélène. (2017). The International Legal Status and Protection of Environmentally-Displaced Persons: A European Perspective. In Refugee Survey Quarterly (Vol. 4, Issue 1). Brill Nijhoff.

Richards, Julie-Anne & Bradshaw, S. (2017). Uprooted By Climate Change Responding To The Growing Risk of Displacement. Oxfam GB for Oxfam International.

Smith, J. R. (2011). Human Adaptation to Climate Change in the Archaeological Past. Radcliffe Institute for Advance Study’s Science Symposium Something in the Air: Climate Change, Science and Poilicy.

Soekanto, Soerjono & Mamudji, S. (2003). Penelitian Hukum Normatif.

Solution, D. (n.d.). Climate Displacement in Bangladesh. http://displacementsolutions.org/wp-content/uploads/DS-Climate-Displacement-in-Bangladesh-Report-LOW-RES-FOR-WEB.pdf

UNHCR. (n.d.). Climate Change and Disaster Displacement.

Resolution 32/33 on Human Rights and Climate Change - A/HRC/RES/32/33, Preamble Recital 10.

Resolution 7/23 on Human Rights and Climate Change - A/HRC/RES/7/23, Preamble Recital 1.

UNHCR. (1997). The State of the World’s Refugees: A Humanitarian Agenda.

UNHCR. (2000). The State Of The World’s Refugees 2000: Fifty Years of Humanitarian Action. Oxford University Press.

Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, UN Doc. E/CN.4/1998/53/Add.2 (1998).

Usmawadi. (n.d.). Tinjauan Singkat Tentang Interpretasi Perjanjian Internasional Menurut Konvensi Wina Tahun 1969. Jurnal Hukum Dan Pembangunan, 18(3).

Williams, A. (2008). Turning the Tide: Recognizing Climate Change Refugees in International Law. Journal Law & Policy, 30(4).

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.