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"Humanity is on thin ice and that ice is melting fast" - Climate-Induced Displacement: Legal Complexities and the Search for Solutions

Li, Kerfin LU (2024) LAGF03 20242
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
Climate change is displacing millions globally, yet legal protections for those
fleeing environmental crises remain unclear and fragmented. The 1951 Refugee Convention offers critical safeguards for those fleeing persecution but excludes individuals displaced by climate change, leaving significant gaps in
international law. This raises pressing questions: How can international law
address the challenges of climate-induced displacement? Can existing frameworks adapt, or are entirely new mechanisms needed? This thesis seeks to
explore and address these questions through a detailed legal analysis.
To achieve this, the thesis employs the legal doctrinal method, focusing on
the analysis of legal texts, academic doctrine, and relevant... (More)
Climate change is displacing millions globally, yet legal protections for those
fleeing environmental crises remain unclear and fragmented. The 1951 Refugee Convention offers critical safeguards for those fleeing persecution but excludes individuals displaced by climate change, leaving significant gaps in
international law. This raises pressing questions: How can international law
address the challenges of climate-induced displacement? Can existing frameworks adapt, or are entirely new mechanisms needed? This thesis seeks to
explore and address these questions through a detailed legal analysis.
To achieve this, the thesis employs the legal doctrinal method, focusing on
the analysis of legal texts, academic doctrine, and relevant international instruments. While rooted in doctrinal analysis, the approach departs from traditional applications by incorporating interpretative tools from the Vienna
Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT), specifically Articles 31 and 32,
as well as Article 38 of the ICJ Statute to consider the role of general principles of international law. This broader approach allows for a comprehensive
assessment of the 1951 Refugee Convention’s provisions and their interpretative possibilities while recognising the limitations of the current framework.
The materials used include legal texts, academic commentary, and international instruments to evaluate both theoretical and practical implications.
The thesis concludes that the 1951 Refugee Convention, in its current form,
cannot sufficiently address the complexities of climate-induced displacement.
While interpretative tools such as those provided by the VCLT offer limited
possibilities for extending protection, these are insufficient to close the legal
gaps. Consequently, the analysis highlights the need for new legal mechanisms, potentially in the form of a standalone instrument or a reformed framework inspired by humanitarian considerations but designed specifically for
climate-induced displacement. The conclusion underscores the importance of
international cooperation and systematic reform to create a legal system capable of addressing these unique challenges effectively. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Klimatförändringarna tvingar miljontals människor världen över att lämna
sina hem, men det juridiska skyddet för dem som flyr miljörelaterade kriser
är fortfarande otydligt och fragmenterat. 1951 års flyktingkonvention erbjuder
viktiga skydd för personer som flyr förföljelse, men omfattar inte individer
som fördrivs av klimatförändringar, vilket skapar betydande luckor i den internationella rätten. Detta väcker angelägna frågor: Hur kan internationell rätt
hantera utmaningarna med klimatinducerad fördrivning? Kan befintliga ramverk anpassas, eller krävs helt nya mekanismer? Denna uppsats syftar till att
utforska och besvara dessa frågor genom en detaljerad juridisk analys.
För att uppnå detta använder uppsatsen en rättsdogmatisk... (More)
Klimatförändringarna tvingar miljontals människor världen över att lämna
sina hem, men det juridiska skyddet för dem som flyr miljörelaterade kriser
är fortfarande otydligt och fragmenterat. 1951 års flyktingkonvention erbjuder
viktiga skydd för personer som flyr förföljelse, men omfattar inte individer
som fördrivs av klimatförändringar, vilket skapar betydande luckor i den internationella rätten. Detta väcker angelägna frågor: Hur kan internationell rätt
hantera utmaningarna med klimatinducerad fördrivning? Kan befintliga ramverk anpassas, eller krävs helt nya mekanismer? Denna uppsats syftar till att
utforska och besvara dessa frågor genom en detaljerad juridisk analys.
För att uppnå detta använder uppsatsen en rättsdogmatisk metod med fokus
på analys av rättstexter, akademisk doktrin och relevanta internationella instrument. Även om metoden är rotad i en rättsdogmatisk ansats, avviker den
från traditionella tillämpningar genom att inkludera tolkningsverktyg från Wienkonventionen om traktaträtten (VCLT), särskilt artiklarna 31 och 32, samt
artikel 38 i ICJ-stadgan, för att analysera de allmänna principernas roll inom
internationell rätt. Denna bredare metod möjliggör en omfattande granskning
av 1951 års flyktingkonventions bestämmelser och deras tolkningsmöjligheter, samtidigt som den erkänner ramverkets begränsningar. Använda
material inkluderar rättstexter, akademiska kommentarer och internationella
instrument för att utvärdera både teoretiska och praktiska implikationer.
Uppsatsen drar slutsatsen att 1951 års flyktingkonvention i dess nuvarande
form inte tillräckligt kan hantera de komplexa utmaningarna som klimatinducerad fördrivning innebär. Även om tolkningsverktyg som de som erbjuds av
VCLT ger begränsade möjligheter att utvidga skyddet, är dessa otillräckliga
för att täppa till de juridiska luckorna. Därför framhåller analysen behovet av
nya juridiska mekanismer, exempelvis i form av ett fristående instrument eller
ett reformerat ramverk som inspireras av humanitära överväganden men är
utformat specifikt för klimatinducerad fördrivning. Slutsatsen understryker
vikten av internationellt samarbete och systematiska reformer för att skapa ett
rättssystem som effektivt kan möta dessa unika utmaningar. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Li, Kerfin LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20242
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
public international law, climate-induced displacement, climate refugees, environmental refugees, Refugee Convention, international refugee law, persecution, protection gaps, legal frameworks, UNHCR, international cooperation, VCLT
language
English
id
9183338
date added to LUP
2025-04-08 14:10:19
date last changed
2025-04-08 14:10:19
@misc{9183338,
  abstract     = {{Climate change is displacing millions globally, yet legal protections for those
fleeing environmental crises remain unclear and fragmented. The 1951 Refugee Convention offers critical safeguards for those fleeing persecution but excludes individuals displaced by climate change, leaving significant gaps in
international law. This raises pressing questions: How can international law
address the challenges of climate-induced displacement? Can existing frameworks adapt, or are entirely new mechanisms needed? This thesis seeks to
explore and address these questions through a detailed legal analysis.
To achieve this, the thesis employs the legal doctrinal method, focusing on
the analysis of legal texts, academic doctrine, and relevant international instruments. While rooted in doctrinal analysis, the approach departs from traditional applications by incorporating interpretative tools from the Vienna
Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT), specifically Articles 31 and 32,
as well as Article 38 of the ICJ Statute to consider the role of general principles of international law. This broader approach allows for a comprehensive
assessment of the 1951 Refugee Convention’s provisions and their interpretative possibilities while recognising the limitations of the current framework.
The materials used include legal texts, academic commentary, and international instruments to evaluate both theoretical and practical implications.
The thesis concludes that the 1951 Refugee Convention, in its current form,
cannot sufficiently address the complexities of climate-induced displacement.
While interpretative tools such as those provided by the VCLT offer limited
possibilities for extending protection, these are insufficient to close the legal
gaps. Consequently, the analysis highlights the need for new legal mechanisms, potentially in the form of a standalone instrument or a reformed framework inspired by humanitarian considerations but designed specifically for
climate-induced displacement. The conclusion underscores the importance of
international cooperation and systematic reform to create a legal system capable of addressing these unique challenges effectively.}},
  author       = {{Li, Kerfin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{"Humanity is on thin ice and that ice is melting fast" - Climate-Induced Displacement: Legal Complexities and the Search for Solutions}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}