27 August 2020, NIICE Commentary 5905
Radhika Ajayan
Climate change has defined and redefined our lives since the beginning of the 21st century. The array of natural hazards that is experienced due to climate change has been increasing in frequency and intensity. Apart from the direct manifestation of climate change on the environment, this crisis further impacts the overall socio-economic fabric of the society and the quality of life we lead. Several terms such as ‘environmental refugees’ and ‘climate migrants’ are commonly used in international platforms referring to the vast amount of people affected by climate change. However, climate change-induced migration remains a politically sensitive issue with no definitive strategy or even an internationally accepted definition. This can be seen to have a direct impact on the lives of thousands of vulnerable communities across the world.
The impact of climate change varies severely across different parts of the world depending on the vulnerability of the particular region. Many factors ranging from geographical features to economic and political stability play an important role in understanding the vulnerability of a nation and its citizens. The South Pacific, in particular, is extremely vulnerable to climate change mostly due to its geographic location near the ‘Ring of Fire’ and the contributing geographical features of the island countries. The South Pacific region is highly susceptible to sea level rising and inundation, saltwater intrusion, increased tropical storms, desalination of water, etc. These increasing vulnerabilities severely impact the socio-economic fabric of society often pressurizing many communities to migrate for better living conditions.
The issue of climate migration in the South Pacific arises from many factors, most of them negatively impacted directly or indirectly by climate change. To comprehend the complex nature of the issue, it is vital to have a complete analysis of all these elements beginning from the geographical features of the island chains to the regional and international response to climate migration in the South Pacific.
Climate Change and the Geography of South Pacific
The geographical feature of each island of the South Pacific differs depending on the origin of that particular island. This makes certain islands more vulnerable to climate change than others. For example, in the case of Tuvalu, the average height of the island is less than 3 m above sea level with the highest point being 4.6 m above sea level. This makes the country vulnerable to sea level rise and storm surges. Several types of research suggest an increased possibility of complete submergence of several Pacific Island countries within the next few decades.
Apart from the threat of sea level rise, there are other climate change-related issues with a direct impact on the economic stability of the native communities. Beach erosion, which happens due to frequent tropical storms or even unsustainable development, poses a threat to the livelihood of coastal communities and disrupts major port infrastructure. This can further interfere with fisheries and other sea-based resources and economic activities of the region. The Gilbert islands of Kiribati faced a similar problem in the past decade. Similarly, low lying islands are vulnerable to saltwater intrusion during tropical storms affecting agriculture and forestry.
It is important to note here that apart from the simple equation of islands becoming uninhabitable, the economic impact of the effects of climate change can make it more difficult for these vulnerable communities to survive. Therefore, the intensity of climate migration has a higher chance of rising in the subsequent year not simply due to submerged islands but also due to reduced economic activity in the region and therefore lesser quality of life. Now, the responses to these rising challenges and vulnerabilities can be seen through two different perspectives, regional and international.
Regional perspectives include the narratives and strategies used by the countries of the South Pacific. Most of the regional responses look into adaptation and disaster risk reduction. However, it is also necessary to look into the perspectives of the local community who are affected by climate change.
Regional Response
The regional response to climate migration in the South Pacific can be analyzed through the perspective of the state government, regional organizations, such as Pacific Island Forum or PIF, as well as the local community. Within the South Pacific island countries, policy measures are being taken to reduce the impacts of climate change and to adapt to it. These include a better disaster risk management system, adaptation strategies and focus on sustainable development. An example of an adaptive strategy taken by Kiribati deals with a significant increase in “in-migration”, migration within the country. In-migration happens frequently from the lesser developed rural outer section of islands to the inner urban areas such as South Tarawa in Kiribati. In-migration is triggered by storm surges and beach erosions and also due to a disruption in economic activities such as fishing or farming in the more vulnerable shorelines.
Kiribati, today uses a ‘stay and fight’ approach which reflects the narrative used by most other countries in the region. The local community of most countries is extremely attached to their tradition and cultural roots and do not favor moving away from their homeland. The government has decided to build artificial islands as an adaptation strategy. However, the effectiveness of the same towards rising environmental vulnerabilities is still being debated due to doubts on the sustainability of such projects and the high capital/developmental costs. Such costly measures are not an option for most countries in the South Pacific which necessitates the need for collective regional action. During the 50th Pacific Island Forum meeting, leaders of the Pacific countries issued a Forum Communiqué and the ‘Kainaki II Declaration for Urgent Climate Change Action Now’ emphasizing the need for collective and immediate action on climate-related issues. Nevertheless, a comprehensive plan on the policies and strategies to be adopted has not yet been made. The response of regional powers such as Australia and New Zealand is also often criticized. For instance, New Zealand’s policies tend to focus on skilled laborers and leave out the unskilled laborers who are at more risk. Much of the lack of initiative from these countries is often associated with the poor international legal framework and a lack of definition of the term “climate refugees”.
International Response
The 1951 Refugee Convention is an important treaty that defines and provides legal protection to refugees. But, the present document does not mention any provision for climate migrants. Presently, the international human rights regime emphasizes that it is, primarily, the obligation of the state to protect its citizens. Efforts are increasingly being made to address these issues within the international community. For instance, the Global Compact on Refugees adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2018, can be seen to directly address the issue of climate change and displacement. The UN Human Rights Committee recently ruled that it is “unlawful” for state governments to return people seeking asylum due to climate vulnerabilities. Further, the United Nations has set up an “Advisory Group on Climate Change and Human Mobility” as part of COP21 resilience building agenda. However, the initiative does not take into consideration the possibility of climate migrants stating that human mobility issues are a matter of adaptation and should be addressed considering economic development and sustainable development hand in hand.
The issue of climate change-induced migration is likely to increase steeply in the future. Adaptive mechanisms and disaster risk reduction can help in diminishing the impact of climate change on several vulnerable communities. However, to adequately manage extremely vulnerable regions such as the South Pacific, there is a need for a constructive response mechanism which takes into consideration all major elements and actors involved in the crisis. Hence, there is a need for effective action from international and regional organizations for a collective response to climate change-induced migration.
