Examining the Link: Climate Change

Abstract

At present, international law offers protection only to those who move involuntarily because of a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. This is the only class of refugee that is currently recognised in international law. However, people move for all sorts of reasons: political, economic, educational and professional, family unification and marriage; still more move for reasons of environmental degradation, conflict and disaster. At law, however, these categories of people are at best ‘migrants' and not ‘refugees’. Recent trends in legal and other social discourse include the clamour to include those who move for reasons of environmental degradation within the refugee paradigm. Is it true that people move involuntarily solely because of environmental degradation or are there other considerations? What is the link between climate change, environmental degradation and migration? This article will provide answers to these questions and will also attempt to critically review the protection options available to those moving because of environmental impact occasioned by climate change.