Displaced Individuals Affected by Climate Change Need a Respectful Transitional Process. Here's How to Achieve It.

The Paris climate agreement, achieved at COP 21 in 2015, marked a significant milestone in the global effort to combat climate change. However, the agreement does not directly address the issue of climate refugees, a term not recognized under international law.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) tends to use the term "climate displaced persons" instead. The academic definition of climate refugees is a subject of debate, but many scholars and politicians believe that issues related to climate change are partly to blame for displacement in various parts of the world.

One of the international bodies advocating for consensus on principles for national, regional, and international policymaking regarding cross-border displacement due to climate-related disasters is the Nansen Initiative, which has been active since 2012.

The issue of climate refugees has been highlighted by world leaders, with many emphasizing the links between climate change and security. For instance, at COP 21, many world leaders, including President Francois Hollande of France, stated that the conference was about peace. However, discussions on climate refugees have been deemed too sensitive for international negotiations, as expressed by Walter Kaelin.

Countries like Kiribati, a low-lying island nation, are already feeling the impact of climate change. The Kiribati government is developing a "migrating with dignity" policy to facilitate planned migrations, while working closely with host communities in Australia and New Zealand to facilitate cultural assimilation for climate refugees. However, the president of Kiribati, Anote Tong, has expressed discomfort with being labeled as a climate refugee.

Other countries, such as India and China, are taking measures to prevent migration. India is building a 2,500-mile barbed wire fence along the Bangladeshi border to dissuade migrants, while China and Mozambique have already started displacing certain populations in anticipation of climate changes.

Bangladesh, a country being ravaged by climate change, is producing climate-displaced people in at least 24 of its 64 districts. Displacement due to disasters has increased fourfold since the 1970s, and estimates of the number of "environmental migrants" to be expected by 2050 range from 150 million to 300 million.

Legalizing the term "climate refugee" under a global governance system like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change could provide human rights protections and a safety net for climate-displaced people. This could help ensure that those forced to leave their homes due to climate change are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Displaced Individuals Affected by Climate Change Need a Respectful Transitional Process. Here's How to Achieve It.