As the Earth undergoes unprecedented changes due to climate change and global warming, the term “climate refugees” has emerged to describe a growing population forced to leave their homes and communities due to the adverse effects of environmental shifts. This phenomenon, driven by both natural events and human activities, poses significant challenges that extend beyond national borders.
Climate change, fuelled by both natural occurrences such as volcanic eruptions and human activities like burning fossil fuels, leads to global warming. The release of greenhouse gases contributes to the trapping of heat in the atmosphere, resulting in rising temperatures. The consequences of global warming include the melting of glaciers and ice caps, leading to sea-level rise, flooding, droughts, and desertification.
Environmental refugees, a broader category that includes climate refugees, are individuals forced to flee due to natural disasters such as volcanoes and tsunamis. The International Red Cross estimates that environmental refugees now outnumber those fleeing political conflicts. Recent statistics from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre reveal that over 376 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced by climate-related events since 2008, with a record 32.6 million in 2022 alone. The annual increase in the total number of displaced people has risen by 41% on average since 2020, signalling a clear upward trend. Projections by the Institute for Economics and Peace suggest that by 2050, in a worst-case scenario, 1.2 billion people could be displaced due to natural disasters and ecological threats.
Despite the alarming numbers and the clear link to climate change, there is no internationally recognized definition of a ‘climate refugee.’ The 1951 Refugee Convention, which provides protection to individuals facing persecution based on specific criteria, does not cover those displaced by climate-related factors. This regulatory gap leaves climate refugees in a vulnerable position, lacking clear legal pathways for seeking asylum or refugee status.
Specific Case Studies:
Sea-Level Rise and Island Nations:
The Maldives face a critical threat from rising sea levels, as this will affect the nation’s tourism and fishing industries are at risk. Sea-level rise could force Maldivians to migrate, leading to economic challenges and habitat changes.
Urban Threats:
Venice, known for its historic architecture and canals, is also vulnerable to sea-level rise. The city’s dependence on tourism makes it susceptible to economic decline as flooding becomes more frequent. Urban centres worldwide, including Manhattan and London, face challenges as rising seas threaten low-lying coastal areas.
Drought and Desertification:
Inland regions, such as the Horn of Africa and Gobi Desert in China, are threatened by drought and desertification. Rural residents would be forced to migrate due to the loss of arable land and encounter challenges adapting to urban life, which would also lead to the rise of conflicts over resources.
EU Legislation and Climate Refugees:
The existing legal framework within the EU primarily addresses asylum seekers and refugees fleeing persecution or armed conflict. However, as the effects of climate change intensify, there is a growing recognition of the need to adapt and expand current legislation to accommodate those displaced by environmental factors.
Efforts are underway within the EU to formally recognize climate refugees as a distinct category. The challenge lies in defining the criteria for determining climate-induced displacement and establishing legal pathways for affected individuals to seek asylum.
The European Union’s Climate Adaptation Strategy, unveiled as part of the European Green Deal, acknowledges the impacts of climate change on communities and commits to mainstreaming climate resilience across all policies. This includes measures to address the needs of climate-displaced persons within the EU.
As the number of climate refugees continues to rise, the world faces a complex and multifaceted challenge that transcends national borders. Urgent international cooperation is needed to define and protect the rights of climate refugees, bridging the regulatory gap and establishing comprehensive solutions. The EU recognises the transnational nature of climate change, and is engaging with international organizations, like the United Nations and other agencies, in order to establish common standards for identifying and assisting climate refugees. Such cooperation is crucial in developing a unified response to this global challenge and in this context, the European Union plays a crucial role in shaping policies that address the impact of climate-induced migration and protect those most vulnerable to its effects.
Bibliography
National Geographic. (2024). Environmental Refugee. Retrieved from National Geograpic Education: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/environmental-refugee/
Written by Marina Scelta
Born in Palermo (Italy), passionate about learning languages since a very young age, she studied Interpreting and Translation for English and French in her hometown, then moved to London for a Master’s Degree in the same domain (University of Westminster), eager to earn some first-hand experience in an international environment. In 2020, she decided to move back to Italy, where she applied for her second Master’s Degree in Foreign Languages for International Communication (Università degli Studi di Torino). In 2021, she had the opportunity to move to Strasbourg as an Erasmus student for almost one year, at the end of which she made of that city her new home. Currently in the process of writing her master’s thesis, in her free time Marina enjoys travelling, singing, walking in the nature, solving crosswords puzzles, and mostly looking around for vegan food.
由于气候变化和全球变暖,地球正在经历前所未有的变化,因此出现了“气候难民”一词,用来描述由于环境变化的不利影响而被迫离开家园和社区的越来越多的人口。由自然事件和人类活动驱动的这一现象构成了超越国界的重大挑战。
由火山爆发等自然事件和燃烧化石燃料等人类活动引发的气候变化导致了全球变暖。温室气体的释放导致热量滞留在大气中,导致气温上升。全球变暖的后果包括冰川和冰盖融化,导致海平面上升、洪水、干旱和荒漠化。
环境难民是一个更广泛的类别,包括气候难民,是由于火山和海啸等自然灾害而被迫逃离的个人。国际红十字会估计,现在环境难民的数量超过了逃离政治冲突的人数。境内流离失所监测中心最近的统计数据显示,自2008年以来,全球有超过3.76亿人因气候相关事件而被迫流离失所,仅在2022年就达到创纪录的3260万人。自2020年以来,流离失所总人数的年均增幅为41%,显示出明显的上升趋势。经济与和平研究所的预测表明,到2050年,在最坏的情况下,12亿人可能因自然灾害和生态威胁而流离失所。
尽管数字惊人,而且与气候变化有明显联系,但没有国际公认的“气候难民”定义。1951年《难民公约》根据具体标准向面临迫害的个人提供保护,但不包括因气候相关因素而流离失所的人。这一监管漏洞使气候难民处于弱势地位,缺乏寻求庇护或难民身份的明确法律途径。
具体案例研究:
海平面上升与岛国:
马尔代夫面临海平面上升的严重威胁,因为这将影响该国的旅游业和渔业。海平面上升可能迫使马尔代夫人迁移,导致经济挑战和栖息地变化。
城市威胁:
威尼斯以其历史建筑和运河而闻名,也容易受到海平面上升的影响。随着洪水越来越频繁,这座城市对旅游业的依赖使其容易受到经济衰退的影响。随着海平面上升威胁到低洼的沿海地区,包括曼哈顿和伦敦在内的世界各地的城市中心都面临着挑战。
干旱和荒漠化:
内陆地区,如非洲之角和中国戈壁沙漠,受到干旱和荒漠化的威胁。农村居民将因失去可耕地而被迫迁移,并面临适应城市生活的挑战,这也将导致争夺资源的冲突增加。
欧盟立法和气候难民:
欧盟内部的现有法律框架主要处理逃离迫害或武装冲突的寻求庇护者和难民。然而,随着气候变化的影响加剧,人们越来越认识到需要调整和扩大现行立法,以适应那些因环境因素而流离失所的人。
欧盟内部正在努力正式承认气候难民是一个独特的类别。挑战在于界定确定气候导致的流离失所的标准,并为受影响的个人寻求庇护建立法律途径。
作为欧洲绿色协议的一部分,欧盟的气候适应战略承认气候变化对社区的影响,并承诺将气候复原力纳入所有政策的主流。这包括解决欧盟内部气候流离失所者需求的措施。
随着气候难民人数持续上升,世界面临着超越国界的复杂和多方面的挑战。迫切需要国际合作来界定和保护气候难民的权利,弥合监管差距并建立全面的解决方案。欧盟认识到气候变化的跨国性质,并正在与联合国和其他机构等国际组织合作,以建立识别和援助气候难民的共同标准。这种合作对于制定统一应对这一全球挑战至关重要,在这方面,欧洲联盟在制定应对气候引发的移徙影响和保护最易受其影响的人的政策方面发挥着关键作用。
书目
国家地理。(2024)。环境难民。检索自国家地理教育:https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/environmental-refuge/
作者:Marina Scelta
她出生在巴勒莫(意大利),从很小的时候就热衷于学习语言,在家乡学习英语和法语的口译和笔译,然后搬到伦敦攻读同一领域的硕士学位(威斯敏斯特大学),渴望在国际环境中获得一些第一手经验。2020年,她决定搬回意大利,在那里她申请了第二个国际交流外语硕士学位(Universit à degli Studi di Torino)。2021年,她有机会作为伊拉斯谟的学生搬到斯特拉斯堡近一年,在这一年结束时,她把这座城市作为自己的新家。目前正在写硕士论文,闲暇时,玛丽娜喜欢旅游、唱歌、在大自然中散步、解填字游戏,大部分时间都在寻找素食。
以上中文文本为机器翻译,存在不同程度偏差和错误,请理解并参考英文原文阅读。
阅读原文