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Flykten från klimatförändringarna – En undersökning av möjligheten till skydd genom EKMR och principen om non-refoulement

Odd, Julia LU (2022) LAGF03 20221
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Inom den internationella migrationsrätten finns en lucka när det gäller de personer som, frivilligt eller ofrivilligt, flyttar från sina hemländer med anledning av klimatförändringarnas effekter. Individerna faller inte inom definitionen av flyktingar i FN:s flyktingkonvention. Resultatet blir en brist på skydd och rättigheter för en grupp människor som förutspås växa exponentiellt vid en ökad global medeltemperatur. Uppsatsen undersöker i vilken utsträckning ett subsidiärt skydd kan ges med hjälp av artikel 2 och 8 i EKMR, i samband med den etablerade principen om non-refoulement.

En rättsdogmatisk metod används för att undersöka vad som utgör gällande rätt i situationer som involverar principen om non-refoulement och EKMR.... (More)
Inom den internationella migrationsrätten finns en lucka när det gäller de personer som, frivilligt eller ofrivilligt, flyttar från sina hemländer med anledning av klimatförändringarnas effekter. Individerna faller inte inom definitionen av flyktingar i FN:s flyktingkonvention. Resultatet blir en brist på skydd och rättigheter för en grupp människor som förutspås växa exponentiellt vid en ökad global medeltemperatur. Uppsatsen undersöker i vilken utsträckning ett subsidiärt skydd kan ges med hjälp av artikel 2 och 8 i EKMR, i samband med den etablerade principen om non-refoulement.

En rättsdogmatisk metod används för att undersöka vad som utgör gällande rätt i situationer som involverar principen om non-refoulement och EKMR. Redogörelsen kompletteras av en analys kring huruvida existerande praxis kan användas för att skydda de människor som riskerar att behöva återvända till länder drabbade av klimatförändringars allvarligaste effekter. Då detta aldrig tidigare prövats av domstol utgör även tidigare doktrin på området relevanta källor för diskussion.

Undersökningen når slutsatsen att artikel 2 bör kunna grunda tillämpning av principen om non-refoulement när effekter av klimatförändringar hotar individens liv vid utvisning till den mottagande staten. Detta då rätten till liv i artikeln ska upprätthållas effektivt, även i förhållande till stater som inte är parter till EKMR. Artikeln ålägger stater en positiv skyldighet att skydda befolkningen även från helt naturliga faror, som exempelvis naturkatastrofer. Artikel 8 tycks tvärtom inte kunna tillämpas, främst eftersom rättigheten inte är absolut. Europadomstolen har flera gånger påtalat att icke fördragsslutande stater inte behöver garantera samma minimistandard som konventions¬staterna. Artikel 8 har dock med tiden fått större koppling till miljö och en rätt till hälsa och välmående genom snabb utveckling. Det är därför inte omöjligt att framtiden för artikeln ser annorlunda ut. Det finns emellertid inget som tyder på att den är tillämplig för tillfället i detta sammanhang. (Less)
Abstract
Within international migration law, there is a gap regarding people who, voluntarily or involuntarily, leave their home states because of climate change. These individuals do not fall within the definition of refugees in the UN Refugee Convention. The result is a lack of protection and rights for a group of people who are predicted to grow exponentially in connection with an increased global average temperature. The essay examines the extent to which subsidiary protection can be provided by means of Articles 2 and 8 of the ECHR, in connection with the established principle of non-refoulement.

A legal-dogmatic method is used to examine what constitutes applicable law in cases involving the principle of non-refoulement and the ECHR. This... (More)
Within international migration law, there is a gap regarding people who, voluntarily or involuntarily, leave their home states because of climate change. These individuals do not fall within the definition of refugees in the UN Refugee Convention. The result is a lack of protection and rights for a group of people who are predicted to grow exponentially in connection with an increased global average temperature. The essay examines the extent to which subsidiary protection can be provided by means of Articles 2 and 8 of the ECHR, in connection with the established principle of non-refoulement.

A legal-dogmatic method is used to examine what constitutes applicable law in cases involving the principle of non-refoulement and the ECHR. This is supplemented with an analysis of whether current practice can be used to protect the people who are at risk of having to return to countries affected by the severe effects of climate change. As this has never been tried by the court, previous doctrine in the field is also relevant for the discussion.

The study concludes that Article 2 ought to be able to justify the application of the principle of non-refoulement when the effects of climate change threaten an individual's life upon deportation to the receiving state. This is because the right to life in the article must be maintained effectively, even in relation to states that are not parties to the ECHR. The article imposes a positive obligation on states to protect their population even from fully natural hazards, such as natural disasters. On the contrary, Article 8 does not seem to be applicable, mainly because the right is not absolute. The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly stated that non-contracting states do not have to guarantee the same minimum standard as states parties. However, over time, Article 8 has become more closely linked to the environment and to a right to health and well-being through rapid development. It is therefore possible that the future of the article may be different. Still, there is no indication that it is currently applicable. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Odd, Julia LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20221
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Folkrätt, Migrationsrätt, Klimatflyktingar, EKMR, Non-refoulement
language
Swedish
id
9080774
date added to LUP
2022-06-28 11:12:42
date last changed
2022-06-28 11:12:42
@misc{9080774,
  abstract     = {{Within international migration law, there is a gap regarding people who, voluntarily or involuntarily, leave their home states because of climate change. These individuals do not fall within the definition of refugees in the UN Refugee Convention. The result is a lack of protection and rights for a group of people who are predicted to grow exponentially in connection with an increased global average temperature. The essay examines the extent to which subsidiary protection can be provided by means of Articles 2 and 8 of the ECHR, in connection with the established principle of non-refoulement.

A legal-dogmatic method is used to examine what constitutes applicable law in cases involving the principle of non-refoulement and the ECHR. This is supplemented with an analysis of whether current practice can be used to protect the people who are at risk of having to return to countries affected by the severe effects of climate change. As this has never been tried by the court, previous doctrine in the field is also relevant for the discussion.
 
The study concludes that Article 2 ought to be able to justify the application of the principle of non-refoulement when the effects of climate change threaten an individual's life upon deportation to the receiving state. This is because the right to life in the article must be maintained effectively, even in relation to states that are not parties to the ECHR. The article imposes a positive obligation on states to protect their population even from fully natural hazards, such as natural disasters. On the contrary, Article 8 does not seem to be applicable, mainly because the right is not absolute. The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly stated that non-contracting states do not have to guarantee the same minimum standard as states parties. However, over time, Article 8 has become more closely linked to the environment and to a right to health and well-being through rapid development. It is therefore possible that the future of the article may be different. Still, there is no indication that it is currently applicable.}},
  author       = {{Odd, Julia}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Flykten från klimatförändringarna – En undersökning av möjligheten till skydd genom EKMR och principen om non-refoulement}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}