flood, firesheat waves, droughts... No corner of the world is safe from the consequences of the climate crisis. The UN claims that rising temperatures are a direct cause of environmental degradation, natural disasters, extreme weather conditions, food and water insecurity, economic disruption, conflict and terrorism. And therefore, migrations.
Due to environmental degradation due to climate change, millions of people leave their homes and are forced to move every year. Most do this in their own country, without crossing international borders. According to the report ‘to escape climate. How is the climate crisis affecting human migration?More than 30 million internal displacements in 2020 were related to meteorological, climatic and geophysical events, led by the Spanish Refugee Relief Commission (CEAR) and the NGO Greenpeace. A number that could almost double by 2050. As predicted by the World Bank’s ‘Groundswell’ report, there would be 143 million people displaced by climate change in the worst-case scenario. “Get ready,” he warned.
However, today and with the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees adopted in Geneva in 1951, due to climate, migrants are not recognized as refugees. pigeon favoritesThe Director of Policy and Campaigns at CEAR explains that his organization is working to advance “broader interpretations of the Geneva refugee definition.”
“You need to be flexible and make a more inclusive interpretation,” he explains. If the Directive itself considers that escaping harm serves to recognize refugee status, why not include environmental degradation?
alternative formulas
Albert MarriedAyuda en Acción’s director of political advocacy said that one of the fears of starting a debate to include these immigrants in the definition of refugees in the Geneva Convention, instead of improving their protection, even more restrictive.
“At the regional level, countries arbitrate some protection systems that are not as strong as refugee status, but provide some security or assistance for climate change issues,” explains Casado.
Among the formulas CEAR is working on for protection to be stateless. For example, it will be beneficial for those who have lost their homes due to climate change. vanuatuAn archipelago located in the Pacific about 200 kilometers west of Australia. A study by the British New Economics foundation called it the “land of happiness” because of its deserted beaches, freshwater shrimps and slow pace of life. now your Due to the rising sea level, the population had to migrate.It is estimated to be about 11 centimeters each year.
The Internal Displacement Control Center (IDMC) estimates that 1,500 disasters were reported in 2021, causing 24.2 million internal displacement.
What areas do they affect?
“The rich states of the Global North, along with large polluting companies, are historically responsible for most of their greenhouse gas emissions.Global South regions are experiencing the worst consequences of climate change“Condemns the report ‘Displacement and climate migration: a challenge we have to face’ by Ecodes, Ayuda en Acción and Entreculturas.
“So don’t talk climate justice and how countries with more resources should support countries that don’t have them or are already at a loss”, explains the Political Incidence director of Ayuda en Acción, assuring that there is a risk of climate migrations spreading to more countries. He points out that it is unthinkable for people to migrate to Central America years ago due to climate change. In the last 10 years, it is mainly due to drought. this Central American Dry Corridor, Horn of Africa and Sahel They are great lights. They all have water, pasture and crop problems, forcing hundreds of thousands of families to relocate due to food insecurity caused by climate change.
Europe is no exception to this disaster. Some crops, such as grapes, are already moving north. Spain is a vulnerable country due to its geographical location and socioeconomic characteristics. those most at risk of exposure to the effects of climate change and desertification across the entire continent.
Indigenous women and communities
Casado explains that there is also gender inequality in climatic migrations. Women are more vulnerable because they are mostly engaged in agricultural work and therefore are deprived of livelihoods when extreme events devastate the land. They are also at greater risk when relocated to other areas, as they are prone to be victims of trafficking and violence. “They are one of the most vulnerable groups,” says a spokesperson for Ayuda en Acción. The elderly, the sick, minors and indigenous communities are part of the most vulnerable groups in the face of climate crises.
There is also gender inequality in climate migration because women are more vulnerable
There are a large number of documented cases of women affected by climate change in Bangladesh migrating to and from India. sold as spouses or trafficked for sexual exploitation. WHO has also shown that there are refugee women and girls in eastern Congo and Guinea who are forced to have sex in exchange for food or shelter for themselves or their families.
All these cases add up beatrice philipAuthor of the book ‘Climate migrations versus international law’ (Aranzadi, 2019), in Ecodes’ report ‘Gender perspectives on climate migration’ published in 2019. climate change separates them by gender and age.
They also invite international cooperation actors to “promote projects and programs that promote”. climate action from a gender perspectivewith serious, ambitious and urgent proposals for climate change mitigation and adaptation” and “promoting processes towards ecological transition”.
Especially since the problems do not end at the destination. CEAR, Migrant and refugee women face discrimination in host societies for a variety of reasons, and to the gender component is added nationality and, in many cases, a racial or ethnic component. “All of these social exclusion factors –salary gap, difficulties in accessing housing for single women, etc. – that we cannot ignore”.
Source: Informacion
