Building Global Governance for 'Climate Refugees'

Abstract

Global governance of displaced and trapped populations, forced migration and refugees is notprepared for the numbers likely to manifest under a changing climate. G20 has responsibility toprepare, push for reform, and initiate annual reviews to enhance a humanitarian response to aidclimate mobility.International policy and law build on the false assumption that displaced people and refugees canreturn to their place of origin when conditions improve, conflicts subside or homes are rebuilt. Thiscannot hold for many of those affected by climate change. Climate-induced migration is a broadphenomenon that defies existing definitions. Climate-induced disasters may cause sudden flight;desertification, sea-level rise, ocean acidification, and more frequent flooding may erode livelhoodsslowly; conflicts aggravated by environmental change also produce "climate refugees".1 Governancereform is therefore needed to strengthen rights and obligations of peoples and governments incountries of origin, transit, and destination.