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7 LegalResponses toClimateChange… 185
person.Thus, theburdenofaddressingL&Dfallsdisproportionatelyondeveloping
states rather thanon those states responsible formostgreenhousegasemissions.
A particular question related to human rights law surrounds the protection of
individuals displaced in circumstances related to climate change impacts. Some
arguments have been made for an international protection of “climate refugees”
either inapplicationofexistinginternational lawor throughthedevelopmentofnew
international legal frameworks. Inexistinginternational law,however,a“refugee”is
narrowlydefinedasapersonfleeingoutofawell-foundedfearofbeingpersecutedon
thegroundofhis race, religion,nationality,membershipofaparticular socialgroup
orpoliticalopinion(ConventionrelatingtotheStatusofRefugees,art.1(A)(2)).Even
whenstateshaveextendedthisdefinitiontopeoplelivinginasituationofgeneralised
violence, environmental factorshavenotgenerallybeen recognisedas aground for
internationalprotection.For instance,claimsforasylumbasedontheenvironmental
conditions inTuvaluwere rejectedby theNewZealandImmigrationandProtection
Tribunal in2009(InRe:AD(Tuvalu)).Arguably, the livesofpeoplemigratingfrom
a state seriously impacted by climate change are threatened if they are returned to
that state. However, national courts have previously considered that provisions of
internationalhumanrights treatiesdealingwith the right to life, suchasart. 6of the
InternationalCovenant onCivil andPoliticalRights, did not prevent the expulsion
ofan individualwhosecountryoforigin is seriouslyaffectedby impactsof climate
change (see e.g. for instanceTeitiota vChief Executive of theMinistry ofBusiness
InnovationandEmployment)orwasinviolationof theprincipleofnon-refoulement
(seee.g.AC(Tuvalu)).
Furtherdevelopments could, however, occur.Ongoingdevelopments include for
instance the Platform onDisaster Displacement which continues the work of the
Nansen InitiativeonDisaster-InducedCross-BorderDisplacement and theworkby
the ILCon theprotectionofpersons in theeventofdisasters (ILC2016), as further
discussed in thechapterbyHeslinet al. (2018).
7.4 CustomaryInternationalLaw
Nationalandinternationalhumanrightslawsaretoolimitedinscopetofullyaddress
L&D.This isbecauseclimatechange responsibilitiesandharmsaregeographically
split.Most greenhouse gas emissions take place in industrialised nations,whereas
most L&Daffects individuals in the least developed or developing states. Human
rights protectionmay reduce theharmcaused toparticular communities, including
through adaptation measures, but its effectivity largely depends on the resources
available to national authorities.Without enhanced support from the international
community, themostvulnerablestatesmayhavelittlecapacity toeffectivelyprotect
their populations.This suggests that approaches to addressL&Daremore likely to
takeplaceat an international level.
There are twomain sources of international law: customs and treaties (Statute
of the InternationalCourt of Justice, art. 38(1)).Normsof customary international
Loss and Damage from Climate Change
Concepts, Methods and Policy Options
- Title
- Loss and Damage from Climate Change
- Subtitle
- Concepts, Methods and Policy Options
- Authors
- Reinhard Mechler
- Laurens M. Bouwer
- Thomas Schinko
- Swenja Surminski
- JoAnne Linnerooth-Bayer
- Publisher
- Springer Open
- Date
- 2019
- Language
- English
- License
- CC BY 4.0
- ISBN
- 978-3-319-72026-5
- Size
- 16.0 x 24.0 cm
- Pages
- 580
- Keywords
- Environment, Climate change, Environmental law, Environmental policy, Risk management
- Categories
- International
- Naturwissenschaften Umwelt und Klima