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Climate refugees – lost in legal limbo? A study on the recognition of climate refugees within the framework of the UNFCCC

Ehrenborg, Hanna LU (2022) LAGF03 20221
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicated already in 1990 that the greatest impact of climate change could be on human migration. At present, the phenomenon of climate-induced migration is already a reality and it is expected to become increasingly urgent in the forthcoming years with millions of people displaced from their homes and communities. Yet, the situation of climate refugees, a category of people currently lacking an internationally agreed definition, is mostly still unregulated, thus leaving them in legal limbo.

International environmental law and specifically the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been highlighted as one of the most promising solutions to this legal gap.... (More)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicated already in 1990 that the greatest impact of climate change could be on human migration. At present, the phenomenon of climate-induced migration is already a reality and it is expected to become increasingly urgent in the forthcoming years with millions of people displaced from their homes and communities. Yet, the situation of climate refugees, a category of people currently lacking an internationally agreed definition, is mostly still unregulated, thus leaving them in legal limbo.

International environmental law and specifically the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been highlighted as one of the most promising solutions to this legal gap. On this premise, this thesis examines to what extent climate refugees as a category of vulnerable people can be recognized within the framework of the UNFCCC. The findings of this study reveal that several Articles of the UNFCCC can be applied in the context of climate-induced migration while also particularly considering vulnerable people. It is further evident that the Cancun Agreements and the Paris Agreement are of significance in bringing the question of human mobility under the global climate regime. In addition, recent developments under the Convention in terms of the Task Force on Displacement (TFD) demonstrate how the UNFCCC is emerging as an institutional ‘home’ for this issue. The study suggests that the TFD has had a catalytic role in increasing awareness regarding the situation of climate refugees, but its work has not resulted in any new ‘hard’ law.

In sum, it is concluded that the UNFCCC can recognize climate refugees as a category of vulnerable people, yet currently only to a limited extent. The Convention does not explicitly address climate refugees as such, but they are indirectly recognized as the phenomenon of climate-induced migration is acknowledged under the UNFCCC’s umbrella. However, much work remains to be done to fully recognize and protect climate refugees under international environmental law. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Förenta nationernas klimatpanel indikerade redan år 1990 att klimatförändringarnas största inverkan kan vara på mänsklig migration. Idag är fenomenet med klimatinducerad migration redan en realitet och det förväntas bli allt mer akut under de kommande åren med miljontals människor på flykt från sina hem och samhällen. Ändå är situationen för klimatflyktingar, en kategori människor som i nuläget saknar en internationellt överenskommen definition, i stort fortfarande oreglerad, vilket lämnar dem i rättsligt limbo.

Internationell miljölagstiftning och specifikt Förenta nationernas ramkonvention om klimatförändringar (klimatkonventionen) har lyfts fram som en av de mest lovande lösningarna på denna rättsliga lucka. Utifrån denna... (More)
Förenta nationernas klimatpanel indikerade redan år 1990 att klimatförändringarnas största inverkan kan vara på mänsklig migration. Idag är fenomenet med klimatinducerad migration redan en realitet och det förväntas bli allt mer akut under de kommande åren med miljontals människor på flykt från sina hem och samhällen. Ändå är situationen för klimatflyktingar, en kategori människor som i nuläget saknar en internationellt överenskommen definition, i stort fortfarande oreglerad, vilket lämnar dem i rättsligt limbo.

Internationell miljölagstiftning och specifikt Förenta nationernas ramkonvention om klimatförändringar (klimatkonventionen) har lyfts fram som en av de mest lovande lösningarna på denna rättsliga lucka. Utifrån denna utgångspunkt undersöker förevarande uppsats i vilken utsträckning klimatflyktingar som en kategori av sårbara människor kan erkännas inom ramen för klimatkonventionen. Resultaten av denna studie visar att flera artiklar i klimatkonventionen kan tillämpas i kontexten av klimatinducerad migration samtidigt som sårbara människor särskilt beaktas. Det är vidare tydligt att Cancunavtalet och Parisavtalet är av betydelse för att föra frågan om mänsklig rörlighet under den globala klimatregimen. Därtill visar den senaste utvecklingen under konventionen i form av Task Force on Displacement (TFD) hur klimatkonventionen växer fram som ett institutionellt ’hem’ för denna fråga. Studien tyder på att TFD har haft en katalytisk roll i att öka medvetenheten om klimatflyktingars situation, men dess arbete har inte resulterat i någon ny bindande lag.

Sammanfattningsvis dras slutsatsen att klimatkonventionen kan erkänna klimatflyktingar som en kategori av sårbara människor, men för närvarande endast i begränsad utsträckning. Konventionen hänvisar inte uttryckligen till klimatflyktingar, men de erkänns indirekt eftersom fenomenet klimatinducerad migration erkänns under klimatkonventionens paraply. Mycket arbete återstår dock för att fullt ut erkänna och skydda klimatflyktingar enligt internationell miljörätt. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Ehrenborg, Hanna LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20221
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
public international law, climate change, climate-induced migration, climate refugees, UNFCCC, Task Force on Displacement
language
English
id
9079555
date added to LUP
2022-06-28 09:23:55
date last changed
2022-06-28 09:23:55
@misc{9079555,
  abstract     = {{The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicated already in 1990 that the greatest impact of climate change could be on human migration. At present, the phenomenon of climate-induced migration is already a reality and it is expected to become increasingly urgent in the forthcoming years with millions of people displaced from their homes and communities. Yet, the situation of climate refugees, a category of people currently lacking an internationally agreed definition, is mostly still unregulated, thus leaving them in legal limbo.

International environmental law and specifically the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been highlighted as one of the most promising solutions to this legal gap. On this premise, this thesis examines to what extent climate refugees as a category of vulnerable people can be recognized within the framework of the UNFCCC. The findings of this study reveal that several Articles of the UNFCCC can be applied in the context of climate-induced migration while also particularly considering vulnerable people. It is further evident that the Cancun Agreements and the Paris Agreement are of significance in bringing the question of human mobility under the global climate regime. In addition, recent developments under the Convention in terms of the Task Force on Displacement (TFD) demonstrate how the UNFCCC is emerging as an institutional ‘home’ for this issue. The study suggests that the TFD has had a catalytic role in increasing awareness regarding the situation of climate refugees, but its work has not resulted in any new ‘hard’ law.

In sum, it is concluded that the UNFCCC can recognize climate refugees as a category of vulnerable people, yet currently only to a limited extent. The Convention does not explicitly address climate refugees as such, but they are indirectly recognized as the phenomenon of climate-induced migration is acknowledged under the UNFCCC’s umbrella. However, much work remains to be done to fully recognize and protect climate refugees under international environmental law.}},
  author       = {{Ehrenborg, Hanna}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Climate refugees – lost in legal limbo? A study on the recognition of climate refugees within the framework of the UNFCCC}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}