Environmental Refugee

ENVIRONMENTAL REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

API CEFS 2010 1/14/2011Waseda UniversityNaho Kawashima, Satomi Hyakuya, Hitomi Koike

I. Introduction: what is “environmental refugee”?

II. Linkage between environment and human settlement

III. Present ActionIV. Prospects for future environmental

refugees

Contents

1. Emergence of “environmental refugees”2. Estimated number in future3. Migration as possible adaptation strategy4. Why “environmental refugees” seen as a

minor problem

I. Introduction: what is environmental refugee?

The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) addressing the issue in the mid-1980s.

El-Hinnawi (1985):“People who have been forced to leave their traditional habitat, temporarily or permanently, because of a marked environmental disruption (natural and/or triggered by people) that jeoparadize their existence and/or seriously affected the quality of their life.”

1. Emergence of “environmental refugee"

Norman Mayers (1995):“Persons who no longer gain a secure livelihood in their traditional homelands because of what are primarily environmental factors of unusual scope.”

International Organization For Migration (2007):“Environmental migrants are persons or groups of persons who, for compelling reasons of sudden or progressive changes in the environment that adversly affect their lives or living conditions, are obliged to leave their habicual homes, or choose to do so, either temporarily or permanently, and who move either within their country or abroad.”

1. Emergence of “environmental refugee"

The former head of the UNEP, Klaus Toepfer, talking of 22-24 million environmental migrants.

Mayers suggesting up to 200 million people will be on the move due to environmental factors by 2050. Also noting that the migration impacts would be felt especially in the African southern Sahara, China, Central America and South Asia.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) posited as early as 1990 that “the gravest effects of climate change may be those on human migration”.

2. Estimated number in future

Migration having been an adaptation strategy for interaction of humans with their environment.

Transfer of knowledge and skills through migrations contributing to strengthening of livelihoods facing future environmental challenges upon return.

Two motivations for migration: government’s inability to react to natural catastrophes: fear that the impacted area may experience more natural disasters in the near future.

3. Migration as possible adaptation strategy

UN Convention of 1951 referring to any person having a “well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, and nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion” as refugees..

United nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): environmentally vulnerable people usually enjoy the protection of their governments, and therefore cannot be defined as “refugee” in the strict sense of the refugee right.

4. Why “environmental refugees” seen as a minor problem

1. Impacts and outcomes 2. Climate change as accelerating driver

a. Sudden disasters (storms, floods)b. Drought and impacts on fresh water and

food productionc. The increase in sea level

II. Linkage between environment and human settlement

i. Natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, tropical storms, ect) tend to cause large-scale movement and result in long term migration. (ex. Harricane Katrina in 2005)

ii. Environmental degradation at early and intermediate stages often leading to temporal migration, causing secondary social, economic, and other problems. (ex. Soil erosion in Tambacounda, an area of Senegal)

1. Impacts and outcomes

http://www.scienceclarified.com/El-Ex/Erosion.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegal

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/project/projects_in_depth/conservation_program2/

iii. When environmental degradation becomes severe or irreversible, resulting migration can become permanent and may require relocation of affected populations. (ex. Droughts in the Sertao region in the northeast of Brazil)

iv. Gradual environmental degradation is expected to cause the marjority of environmental migration. (ex. Desertification in Africa)


http://www.voyagesphotosmanu.com/clima_do_brasil.html

http://sites.google.com/site/piauibrazil/the-backlands---sertao

http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub86/contents.html

iii. When environmental degradation becomes severe or irreversible, resulting migration can become permanent and may require relocation of affected populations. (ex. Droughts in the Sertao region in the northeast of Brazil)

iv. Gradual environmental degradation is expected to cause the majority of environmental migration. (ex. Desertification in Africa)


v. Least developed countries with low adaptive capacity, and countries with particularly susceptible geographies (small island states) are most vulnerable to the effects of environmental degradation and climate change. (ex. Papua New Guinea’s Carteret Islands)


http://www.earthweek.com/2009/ew090515/ew090515a.html

http://pngtourismnews.blogspot.com/2009/04/effect-of-global-warming-in-papua-new.html

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/travel-outdoors/8-countries-about-to-go-underwater-literally.html

http://blogs.oxfamamerica.org/index.php/tag/global-warming/

2. Climate change as accelerating driver

Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC (2007)

According to the database EM-DAT, more than 900people killed and more than 115million affected by floods on average every year.

96% of the affected living in Asia.

Climate change resulting in sea level rise, intensive storms, heavy precipitation.

Number of people reported affected by natural disasters 1975–2006

EM−DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database − www.em−dat.net − Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels − Belgium

i. Sudden disasters (storms, floods, etc)

i. Sudden disasters (storms, floods, etc)

Source: Munich Re (2007). © 2007 Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft Geo Risks Research, NatCatSERVICE (reproduced with permission)

Great Natural Disasters (1950-2006): Number of Events

The IPCC predicting a decrease of rain, increasing evaporation, rising sea levels resulting in salinization of coastal groundwater, and glaciers melting away.

Water problems could affect 74 to 250 million people in Africa by 2020 and more than a billion people in Asia by the 2050s.

Most vulnerable are developing countries where large population live directly from agriculture.

ii. Drought and impacts on freshwater and food production

According to one IPCC emission estimate, the sea level could increase by almost half a meter by 2100.

Out of 600million people living in low-lying coastal zones, 438 million live in Asia and 246 million in the poorest countries of the world.

A sea level rise of two meters would impact an additional 10.8million people and render at least 969 thousand more 969,000 more hectares of agricultual land unproductive.

iii. The increase in sea level

Changes in Temperature, Sea level and Northern Hemisphere Snow Cover

Source: Summary Policy Makers (PDF) File from the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report

1.　 Displacement within a state2. Displacement outside the country3. Assisting program by existing organization

III. Present Action

Asia: Glacier melt and irrigated agricultural systems … many South Asia cities lack the capacity to absorb

significant migration streams

The Sahel: Pressure on agricultural livelihoods and creeping onward migration

※Sahel = Sub-Saharan Africa … One migrant from the Difa region in Niger left the

Lake Chad region though his job was not directly related to the Lake. When the Lake dried out, people depending on it left for other countries and therefore, his business as a merchant was negatively affected. So he left for Nigeria.

Koko Warner, In Search of Shelter-Mapping the Effects of Climate Change on Human Migration and Displacement

I. Displacement within a state

The Ganges Delta: Temporary migration as a survival strategy

…Millions of Bangladeshis are exposed to increased flooding, severe cyclones, and sea level rise impacts.

a) Seasonal employment (father)b) Whole family

1. Overpopulation of the urban area⇒turn into slum2. Human traffic during migration/absence of the father3. Shortage of labour/money…migration requires

resources4. The similar environmental risks existing in many

locations in Bangladesh

I. Displacement within a state

Bangladesh→India, Myanmar…Overpopulation in India…Myanmar’s economy and politic under the

military regime falling apart

Mexico and Central America: Migration in response to drought and disasters

…for those who are better off or who have relatives abroad, migration is an option

http://unfccc.int/files/meetings/sb30/press/application/pdf/climate_change_creates_article.pdf

II. Displacement to outside the country

Tuvalu : Sea level rise and small island developing states

Tuvalua) from outer islands to Funafuti (intra-state

migration)b) from Tuvalu to Fiji and New Zealand …Labor migration agreements with New

Zealand, but not explicit policies to accept Pacific Islanders

II. Displacement to outside the country

One researcher at COP14 noted, “So few of migrants we encountered in our fieldwork

worldwide were able to migrate internationally – he vast majority face a situation where they ‘only make it’ to the next livable place. This will increasingly require countries to work together, especially developing countries”.

The current situation leads to the idea that.. 1. Necessity of creating partnerships with countries

outside the region 2. Creating a system of accepting environmental refugees

depending on how much GHG each countries emits (UN, UNHCR taking leadership)

Other methods that should be taken

Adaptation fund…The Adaptation Fund was established to finance concrete adaptation projects and programs in developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. …The Adaptation Fund is financed from the share of proceeds on the clean development mechanism project activities and other sources of funding.

Ex) The Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) , The Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF)

http://unfccc.int/cooperation_and_support/financial_mechanism/adaptation_fund/items/3659.php

III. Assisting program by already existing organization

http://unfccc.int/cooperation_support/least_developed_countries_portal/ldc_fund/items/4723.phphttp://unfccc.int/cooperation_and_support/financial_mechanism/adaptation_fund/items/3659.php

International organizations such as…

United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)

International Organization for Migration(IOM)

United Nations Environment Program(UNEP) United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees (UNHCR)


Research institutes such as…

European Commission project “Environmental Change and Forced Migration Scenarios” (EACH-FOR project, ended in May 2009)

Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies Refugee Study Centre of Oxford University

Different levels of understanding, the lack of place for these organizations to collaborate


http://www.each-for.eu/index.php?module=main

Necessary approach to the issue A need for international framework Introduction and observation of 2 possible solutions

Application into reality Motivation of the participants for operation

IV. Implication for future policies

No clear universal definition of the term No international binding laws and

institutions specializing in environmental refugee issue

Actions taken by existing institutions are individual and temporal

Present attitude toward the issue

http://www.tufs.ac.jp/common/fs/ase/cam/komado/camp/top.htm

http://www.unhcr.or.jp/html/event.html

Prof. Janos Bogardi, UNU-EHS

Science Awareness Legislation Humanitarian Aid Institutions

Necessary approach to the issue

http://www.ehs.unu.edu/article:154

http://www.ehs.unu.edu/image/view/4747

Various reasons for the necessity of establishing an international framework

a. the issue itself shifting from domestic to international

b. refugees increasing globallyc. sharing of information and technology for

possible prevention and solutiond. capability of risk communicatione. necessarily decreasing illegal migration

A need of international framework

a. Establishing a totally new institutionb. Putting new concept of “environmental

refugee” to existing organizations or conventions

- “environment”-based- “human security”-based

2 choices for a step forward…

Professional Relatively proactive Time-consuming before operation“shortcomings of available assessments point to the need

for a systematic global monitoring program, leading to development of a scientifically credible, consistent baseline of the state of (…) desertification”.

the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA, 2005b:101)

Difficulty in establishing liability Insufficient fund Limitation on scale

Observation 1 : Establishing new institution for environmental refugees

Vague initial leader in the beginning Accumulating information Experiences from actual cases More possibility to receive fund from other

branches Sharing the knowledge among institutions

Observation 2: Introduction of the new idea to existing frameworks

IOMUNEP

UNFCCC

GEF

UNHCRUNU-EHS

UNFPA

EC

CEDEM

Categorization of institutions

Human Security-

based

Environment-

based

・ EACH-FOR project・ UNU-EHS

・ UNFCCC・ GEF・ UNEP

・ IOM・ UNHCR

Controversy of the issue→ criteria of “environmental” refugees→ambiguity of the relationship between environment degradation and

migration

Basic Assumption of Refugee Status “a threat to life or freedom on account of race, religion, nationality, political

opinion or membership of a particular social group is always persecution. Other serious violations of human rights – for the same reasons –would also constitute persecution.”

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status under the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugee, paragraph 51.

Existing fundamental frameworks for human right issues and migration policies

Further researches for verification

Environment- or Human Security- based?

International binding definition of the term “ Environmental refugee”

ex) the 1951Refugee Convention

Scientific research and proof of the correspondence of environmental degradation and migration

Higher recognition Leadership

“Human security”-based institution

Necessity to raise recognition and interest world wide

Reanalysis of the old cases “The ability-to-pay” principle(UNFCCC) “The polluter pays” principle (UNFCCC)

Motivation for participants

Afifi, T & Warner, K, The impact of environmental degradation on migration flows across countries, Working Paper No.5, UNU Institution for Environment and Human Security, Bonn, April 2008, from http://www.ehs.unu.edu/article/read/working-papers

Kolmannskog, O. V, Future Floods of Refugees: A comment on climate change, conflict, and forced migration, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oslo, April 2008, from http://www.nrc.no/arch/_img/9268480.pdf

Raenaud, F, Bogardi, J.J, Olivia Dun, Warner, K, Control, Adapt or Flee: How to Face Environmental Migration?, InterSecTions, Publications Series of UNU-EHS, No.5, Bonn, May 2007, from http://www.each-for.eu/documents/RENAUD%202007%20Control,%20Adapt%20or%20Flee%20How%20to%20Face%20Environmental%20Migration%20UNU-EHS.pdf

Care, In Search of Shelter report: Mapping the Effects of Climate Change on Human Migration and Displacement, May 2009, from http://www.care.org/getinvolved/advocacy/pdfs/Migration_Report.pdf

International Organization for Migrants, MC/INF 288, Discussion Note: Migration and the Environment, 1 November, 2007, from http://www.iom.int/jahia/webdav/shared/shared/mainsite/about_iom/en/council/94/MC_INF_288.pdf

International Organization for Migrants, Disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and environmental migration, 2009, from http://publications.iom.int/bookstore/free/DDR_CCA_report.pdf

International Organization for Migrants, IOM Policy Brief: Migration, Climate Change and the Environment, May, 2009, from http://www.iom.int/jahia/webdav/shared/shared/mainsite/policy_and_research/policy_documents/policy_brief.pdf

Reference

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Education

Environmental Refugee