An Inquiry on the Legal Status and Protection of Climate Refugees from an International Law Perspective

Mehmet Botan Kayhan

Article Details

An Inquiry on the Legal Status and Protection of Climate Refugees from an International Law Perspective

Authors:

Mehmet Botan Kayhan

Publisher:

Istanbul University

Main Topics:

Public Law (Other)

Journal:

İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası Vol.82 Issue 4, pp.1185-1229

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001341381

pISSN:

2636-7734

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Climate crisis-related displacement is one of the most prominent issues in our world. Although, there is no given legal definition for climate refugees in any international legal convention, in order to analyse this phenomenon; those who are compelled to leave their homes due to climate change-related catastrophes would be accepted as climate refugees within this article. It is clear that climate refugees, who sit at the crossroads of climate change and the refugee crises, can only be adequately protected through a combination of climate action and refugee rights. The climate crisis is a substructure of the refugee crisis. Therefore, climate action, which is principally aimed at solving substructural problems, is essential for solving the superstructural climate refugee crisis. Nevertheless, according to scientific predictions, even the most optimistic scenarios foresee a considerable change in the climate. Hence, even the most optimistic scenarios in which humanity takes climate action may not be enough to prevent the existence of climate refugees. The Refugee Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which is currently the most prominent international convention on refugee rights, does not encompass climate refugees because of its contingent wording. Thus, it is necessary to adopt comprehensive legislation that protects the rights of climate refugees in addition to climate action that would reduce the number of possible refugees. Yet both substructural and superstructural issues are in a position of conundrum due to the extant international political and legal system, which prioritises the national sovereignty and states consents. Consequently, legal solutions in the sense of both climate and refugee crises fall short if the international political and legal status quo is ignored.

 Climate crisis-related displacement is one of the most prominent issues in our world. Although, there is no given legal definition for climate refugees in any international legal convention, in order to analyse this phenomenon; those who are compelled to leave their homes due to climate change-related catastrophes would be accepted as climate refugees within this article. It is clear that climate refugees, who sit at the crossroads of climate change and the refugee crises, can only be adequately protected through a combination of climate action and refugee rights. The climate crisis is a substructure of the refugee crisis. Therefore, climate action, which is principally aimed at solving substructural problems, is essential for solving the superstructural climate refugee crisis. Nevertheless, according to scientific predictions, even the most optimistic scenarios foresee a considerable change in the climate. Hence, even the most optimistic scenarios in which humanity takes climate action may not be enough to prevent the existence of climate refugees. The Refugee Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which is currently the most prominent international convention on refugee rights, does not encompass climate refugees because of its contingent wording. Thus, it is necessary to adopt comprehensive legislation that protects the rights of climate refugees in addition to climate action that would reduce the number of possible refugees. Yet both substructural and superstructural issues are in a position of conundrum due to the extant international political and legal system, which prioritises the national sovereignty and states consents. Consequently, legal solutions in the sense of both climate and refugee crises fall short if the international political and legal status quo is ignored.

 Climate crisis-related displacement is one of the most prominent issues in our world. Although, there is no given legal definition for climate refugees in any international legal convention, in order to analyse this phenomenon; those who are compelled to leave their homes due to climate change-related catastrophes would be accepted as climate refugees within this article. It is clear that climate refugees, who sit at the crossroads of climate change and the refugee crises, can only be adequately protected through a combination of climate action and refugee rights. The climate crisis is a substructure of the refugee crisis. Therefore, climate action, which is principally aimed at solving substructural problems, is essential for solving the superstructural climate refugee crisis. Nevertheless, according to scientific predictions, even the most optimistic scenarios foresee a considerable change in the climate. Hence, even the most optimistic scenarios in which humanity takes climate action may not be enough to prevent the existence of climate refugees. The Refugee Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which is currently the most prominent international convention on refugee rights, does not encompass climate refugees because of its contingent wording. Thus, it is necessary to adopt comprehensive legislation that protects the rights of climate refugees in addition to climate action that would reduce the number of possible refugees. Yet both substructural and superstructural issues are in a position of conundrum due to the extant international political and legal system, which prioritises the national sovereignty and states consents. Consequently, legal solutions in the sense of both climate and refugee crises fall short if the international political and legal status quo is ignored.

 İklim krizi neticesinde yerinden edilme olgusu günümüz dünyasının en temel sorunlarından biridir. Ancak, iklim mültecisi ifadesi herhangi bir uluslararası hukuk sözleşmesinde tanımlanmamaktadır. Dolayısıyla bu olgunun incelenebilmesi amacıyla bu çalışmada, yurtlarını iklim değişikliğine bağlı felaketler sebebiyle terk etmek zorunda kalan kimseler iklim mültecisi olarak kabul edilecektir. Bu nedenle, iklim krizi ve mülteci krizinin kesişme noktasında bulunan iklim mültecilerinin, iklim eylemi ve mülteci haklarının bir kombinasyonu ile yeterli ölçüde korunabileceği açıktır. Böylelikle iklim mültecileri bağlamında iklim krizi, mülteci krizinin alt yapısı konumundadır. Dolayısıyla temelde altyapı sorununu çözmeyi hedefleyen iklim eylemi, üstyapısal konumdaki iklim mülteciliği sorununu çözmek için elzemdir. Bununla birlikte, bilimsel tahminlere göre en iyimser senaryolarda da iklimde önemli bir değişiklik meydana geleceği öngörülmektedir. Dolayısıyla, insanlığın iklim eylemini başarıyla yürüttüğü en iyimser senaryolar dahi iklim mültecilerinin var olmalarının önüne geçilemeyebilir. Günümüzde, mülteci hakları bağlamında en önemli uluslararası düzenleme olan 1951 tarihli Cenevre Mülteci Sözleşmesi ise lafzî kısıtlılığı sebebiyle iklim mültecilerini kapsamamaktadır. Bu nedenle, olası mülteci sayısını azaltacak bir iklim eyleminin desteklenmesiyle birlikte iklim mültecilerinin haklarını koruyacak kapsamlı bir mülteci mevzuatının oluşturulması gerekmektedir. Trajik bir biçimde, ulusal egemenlikleri ve devletlerin rızalarını ön planda tutan mevcut uluslararası siyasi ve hukuki sistem nedeniyle hem altyapı hem de üstyapı sorunları bir kördüğüm konumundadır. Sonuç olarak, uluslararası siyasi ve hukuki statükonun göz ardı edilmesi halinde hem iklim krizi hem de mülteci krizi anlamında önerilecek hukuki çözümler yetersiz kalacaktır.

Article Details

An Inquiry on the Legal Status and Protection of Climate Refugees from an International Law Perspective

Authors:

Mehmet Botan Kayhan

Publisher:

Istanbul University

Main Topics:

Public Law (Other)

Journal:

İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası Vol.82 Issue 4, pp.1185-1229

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001341381

pISSN:

2636-7734

Climate Refugees

Climate Crisis

Refugee Crisis

Refugee Convention

National Sovereignty

Complementary Protectionİklim Mültecileri

İklim Krizi

Mülteci Krizi

Mülteci Sözleşmesi

Ulusal Egemenlik

İkincil Koruma

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Mehmet Botan Kayhan

Publisher: Istanbul University

Main Topics: Public Law (Other)

Journal: İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası Vol.82 Issue 4, pp.1185-1229

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 12/2024

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001341381

pISSN: 2636-7734

Issues

Authors:

Mehmet Botan Kayhan

Publisher:

Istanbul University

Main Topics:

Public Law (Other)

Journal:

İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası Vol.82 Issue 4, pp.1185-1229

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001341381

pISSN:

2636-7734