Internal Displacement, Climate Change and the Crisis of International Law

From the 1990s when multiple substantive proposals were brought forward concerning IDPs at the UN, the world has drastically changed in terms of its environment and environmental impacts on local populations. The primary alteration in recent years, has been the augmented influence of climate change on displacement. According to a study by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), one of the primary conflicts that comes up due to the displacement caused by climate change-related disasters or rising sea levels, is the ambiguity of international law concerning climate change induced displacement.  (For the full report see report attached) The report published by the IDMC discusses how a legal distinction between forced and voluntary displacement becomes especially difficult in the cases regarding climate change. Other primary difficulties regarding climate change displacement are identified in the report including but not limited to assessing risks that are more slow developing and as a result are not identified until sudden impactful events propagated by climate change occur.

The solutions the IDMC lists out based on their concerns regarding climate change and displacement are the following: developing typology of displacement in slow onset disaster contexts, conducting risk assessments, and exploring policy to promote the wellbeing of individuals especially in small island developing states (SIDS) and avoid forced and voluntary displacement.

Considering that existing resolutions on IDPs do not expand the discussion to mention integration for those who voluntarily leave due to food and water insecurity and want to return to their homes or resettlement for those who are forced to leave their homes due to rising sea levels in SIDS, the international frameworks currently existing on voluntary and forced displacement regarding climate change have not been addressed and must be defined more thoroughly to guide international policy and national responses in both slow onset stages and disaster contexts.

IDMC full report 
1. Keeping in mind the current international guiding principles, what proposals does your country have to integrate more clear frameworks in regards to IDPs and climate change induced displacement?

2. What are some issues that NGOs such as the IDMC will run into with disaster risk assessment, and how can these issues be minimized to ensure the best possible results from analysis of disaster risks?

3. Considering the limited funding of the UN along with the imperative need of small island states, how can nations intervene to assist local populations living in SIDS struggling with displacement and food insecurity while respecting the sovereignty and autonomy of SIDS?

(Photo credit and caption credit: IDMC)
An Inupiat girl stands on an ice float in the Arctic. The melting of the Arctic is one of the many effects global warming that has a serious impact on human life and wildlife.  


Comments

  1. People's Republic of ChinaFebruary 25, 2019 at 5:18 PM

    Greetings Delegates,

    The impact of climate change on populations cannot be underestimated. The People’s Republic of China has experienced in great depth the effects of climate change, as extreme weather events have displaced millions of people in our rural areas. Rising sea levels threaten to impact our coastal areas, and this is true for multitudes of other countries. The issue is continually worsening as environmental degradation increases.

    An international framework is important, but it cannot be ensured that all countries are able to follow it. In order for it to be effective, the framework needs to accommodate for all countries’ needs. For example, in countries where development is necessary to improve the wellbeing of their citizens, as in China, displacement is inevitable. This is why China feels that there needs to be more discussion about each country’s needs before this framework is established, and even when this framework is established, it must be flexible.

    One of the most important parts of relocation is integration into resettlement communities. The Chinese government has developed infrastructure, such as schools, roads, and hospitals, in many of the designated lands where internal migrants are relocated, and would like to expand this effort on a global scale. With our AIDPS (Aid to IDPs) program, the international community can invest in large corporations, which will, in turn, invest in the infrastructure of the region in order to create job opportunities and foster economic development in these resettlement communities. Regional subcommittees under one larger committee will oversee this as well as assess the strongest industries of the region and how to maximize resources in the area to create more job opportunities and ensure access to medical care and housing. This emphasis on improving resettlement communities will not only benefit IDPs but also make communities more sustainable in order to decrease involuntary migration in the future. Along with this, the program can be expanded to include regional disaster risk assessments, as this would be a part of ensuring that each region is reaching its maximum potential.

    While AIDPS is intended to focus on resettlement communities, this program can definitely be used to assist SIDS in their current needs. The regional subcommittee of the Pacific Islands can decide the best way to provide aid to these countries, and the assistance of large corporations’ investments can help improve infrastructure in these regions. As SIDS are in urgent need of assistance, they will be given priority in terms of investment and aid. This would only be provided if a country is open to it, in respects to the country’s sovereignty.

    The People’s Republic of China is open to any suggestions or comments, and we look forward to discussing and debating with you all.

    Thank you,

    The People’s Republic of China

    ReplyDelete

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