The UN’s Role in the Development of Legal Frameworks Tackling Forced Environmental Migration
By Aurélie Lévesque*
Abstract The following article explores the issue of forced environmental migration, its root causes, and its effects on vulnerable populations. A brief background to climate change, its effects and the causes and impacts of forced environmental migration is given, followed by an evaluation of the interrelatedness of human rights and climate change. The issue presented is the lack of legal recognition of Environmentally Displaced Persons (EDPs) in international law, leading to increased vulnerability from the lack of legal protection offered, and the consequent risk of violation of their rights. The historical and current involvement of the United Nations as a developer and enforcer of international law is then assessed, and an analysis of potential solutions to be investigated to address the issue of EDPs. The solutions presented include the possible expansion of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the implementation of a new international legal framework, and the adoption of regional legal frameworks and cooperation efforts as possible solutions for the legal recognition of EDPs, as well as the assistance that could be provided. The article concludes that the UN should promote regional cooperation in order to foster a cooperative solution on a global level.
* LL.B. Candidate, International and European Law Programme, The Hague University of Applied Sciences.
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