As the Bonn Climate Change Talks wind down this week, delegates and the international media were presented key findings from a new report entitled “In Search of Shelter: Mapping the Effects of Climate Change on Human Migration and Displacement”. The report, which has been released by CARE International and New York’s Columbia University, “explores how environmental shocks and stresses, especially those related to climate change, can push people to leave their homes in search of ‘greener pastures’ … or just to survive.” Researchers questioned more than 2,000 migrants in 23 countries about why they moved. The results point to “a clear signal” that environmental stress is already causing shifts in population. You can access the report here.

As mentioned in my last post, there is a single sentence of the current draft negotiating text found in paragraph 25(e) which refers to human mobility, and calls on nations to prepare plans to adapt to climate change by accounting for possible migrations:

“Activities related to national and international migration/planned relocation of climate
refugees.”

This reference comes well applauded by the international community and is strongly urged to be kept in the final agreement that will be presented at the Copenhagen UN Climate Change Conference in December, 2009. However, key agencies are strongly insisting that the term “climate refugees” be stricken from the draft and be replaced with “persons affected by climate change”. This recommendation comes due to the fact that the term “climate refugee” has no basis in international law and risks weakening existing protection.