CLIMATE CITIZENSHIP IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE MIGRATION: IS A NEW IDENTITY BEING CREATED?

Aynur Demir

Article Details

CLIMATE CITIZENSHIP IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE MIGRATION: IS A NEW IDENTITY BEING CREATED?

Authors:

Aynur Demir

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Çevresel Coğrafya | Ekoloji | Sürdürülebilirlik ve Enerji

Journal:

HUMANITAS - Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.13 Issue 26, pp.145-158

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001360404

pISSN:

2147-088X

Keywords:

Abstract:

 This study examines the transformation of the concepts of citizenship and identity in the context of climate-induced migration and discusses the increasingly significant concept of climate citizenship at a theoretical level. Climate migration constitutes not only an environmental crisis but also a political, social, and identity-based one, wherein individuals face the risk of losing not only their physical living spaces but also their citizenship status, political representation, and cultural belonging. In this regard, climate citizenship emerges as an alternative to the traditional nation-state-based understanding of citizenship, offering a transnational, ethically grounded, and collective model of civic identity. The study adopts a qualitative research method and constructs a conceptual framework through document and literature analysis. It analyzes how climate citizenship may offer opportunities to overcome the loss of status and identity for climate migrants by examining case studies such as the Teitiota case, Pacific Island states, and examples from Africa and South Asia. Findings reveal that climate citizenship is not merely an ecological sensitivity, but a transformative force in redefining citizenship regimes. Climate citizenship presents a new model of belonging in which individuals act with global responsibility, adopt sustainable lifestyles, and advocate for intergenerational justice, transcending national identity-based models of citizenship.

 This study examines the transformation of the concepts of citizenship and identity in the context of climate-induced migration and discusses the increasingly significant concept of climate citizenship at a theoretical level. Climate migration constitutes not only an environmental crisis but also a political, social, and identity-based one, wherein individuals face the risk of losing not only their physical living spaces but also their citizenship status, political representation, and cultural belonging. In this regard, climate citizenship emerges as an alternative to the traditional nation-state-based understanding of citizenship, offering a transnational, ethically grounded, and collective model of civic identity. The study adopts a qualitative research method and constructs a conceptual framework through document and literature analysis. It analyzes how climate citizenship may offer opportunities to overcome the loss of status and identity for climate migrants by examining case studies such as the Teitiota case, Pacific Island states, and examples from Africa and South Asia. Findings reveal that climate citizenship is not merely an ecological sensitivity, but a transformative force in redefining citizenship regimes. Climate citizenship presents a new model of belonging in which individuals act with global responsibility, adopt sustainable lifestyles, and advocate for intergenerational justice, transcending national identity-based models of citizenship.

 This study examines the transformation of the concepts of citizenship and identity in the context of climate-induced migration and discusses the increasingly significant concept of climate citizenship at a theoretical level. Climate migration constitutes not only an environmental crisis but also a political, social, and identity-based one, wherein individuals face the risk of losing not only their physical living spaces but also their citizenship status, political representation, and cultural belonging. In this regard, climate citizenship emerges as an alternative to the traditional nation-state-based understanding of citizenship, offering a transnational, ethically grounded, and collective model of civic identity. The study adopts a qualitative research method and constructs a conceptual framework through document and literature analysis. It analyzes how climate citizenship may offer opportunities to overcome the loss of status and identity for climate migrants by examining case studies such as the Teitiota case, Pacific Island states, and examples from Africa and South Asia. Findings reveal that climate citizenship is not merely an ecological sensitivity, but a transformative force in redefining citizenship regimes. Climate citizenship presents a new model of belonging in which individuals act with global responsibility, adopt sustainable lifestyles, and advocate for intergenerational justice, transcending national identity-based models of citizenship.

 Bu çalışma, iklim değişikliği kaynaklı göç hareketlerinin vatandaşlık ve kimlik kavramlarında yarattığı dönüşümü ele almakta; bu bağlamda giderek daha fazla önem kazanan iklim vatandaşlığı kavramını teorik düzeyde tartışmaktadır. İklim göçü yalnızca çevresel değil, aynı zamanda siyasal, toplumsal ve kimliksel bir kriz alanı oluşturmakta; bireylerin yalnızca yaşadıkları fiziksel mekânları değil, vatandaşlık statüsü, siyasal temsil ve kültürel aidiyet gibi temel kimlik bileşenlerini de kaybetme riskini artırmaktadır. Bu bağlamda iklim vatandaşlığı, geleneksel ulus-devlet temelli vatandaşlık anlayışına alternatif olarak, sınır-aşan, etik sorumluluğa dayalı ve kolektif bir vatandaşlık kimliği önermektedir. Çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntemi benimsenmiş; belge ve literatür analizi yoluyla iklim vatandaşlığı kavramı kuramsal olarak yapılandırılmıştır. Teitiota davası, Pasifik ada devletleri, Afrika ve Güney Asyadan örnek olaylar üzerinden, iklim göçmenlerinin statü ve kimlik kaybı analiz edilmiştir. İklim vatandaşlığının yalnızca çevresel duyarlılıktan ibaret olmayıp, vatandaşlık rejimlerinin yeniden tanımlanmasında dönüştürücü bir potansiyel taşıdığını göstermektedir. Sonuç olarak, iklim vatandaşlığı; ulusal kimliğe dayalı vatandaşlık anlayışının ötesine geçerek, bireylerin küresel sorumlulukla hareket ettiği, sürdürülebilir yaşam biçimlerini benimsediği ve gelecek kuşaklar adına adalet talep ettiği yeni bir vatandaşlık modeli sunmaktadır.

Article Details

CLIMATE CITIZENSHIP IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE MIGRATION: IS A NEW IDENTITY BEING CREATED?

Authors:

Aynur Demir

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Çevresel Coğrafya | Ekoloji | Sürdürülebilirlik ve Enerji

Journal:

HUMANITAS - Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.13 Issue 26, pp.145-158

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001360404

pISSN:

2147-088X

Citizenship rights

Climate change

Climate citizenship

Climate justice

Climate migration

Identityİklim adaleti

İklim değişikliği

İklim göçü

İklim vatandaşlığı

Kimlik

Vatandaşlık hakları

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Aynur Demir

Publisher: Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics: Çevresel Coğrafya | Ekoloji | Sürdürülebilirlik ve Enerji

Journal: HUMANITAS - Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.13 Issue 26, pp.145-158

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 10/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001360404

pISSN: 2147-088X

Issues

Authors:

Aynur Demir

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Çevresel Coğrafya | Ekoloji | Sürdürülebilirlik ve Enerji

Journal:

HUMANITAS - Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.13 Issue 26, pp.145-158

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001360404

pISSN:

2147-088X