The American Security Project (ASP) is a non-profit, bipartisan public policy and research organization dedicated to fostering knowledge and understanding of a range of national security issues, promoting debate about the appropriate use of American power, and cultivating strategic responses to 21st century challenges.
They released a new report last week in their “Perspectives” publications section entitled “International Law and the Victims of Climate Change”. The report discusses the need to assist individuals impacted and displaced by climate change (IIDCCs). Authored by ASP Adjunct Policy Analyst Justin S. Rubin, the report details a four-part legal framework that must be enacted to provide support to IIDCC’s:
- a binding agreement between developed nations;
- a commitment by those nations to evacuate and resettle climate change victims;
- an adjudication method for deciding who needs to be relocated and to where individuals should be relocated;
- job and skill retraining for resettled IIDCCs.
While this proposed framework and its elements may seem like it is meant to empower wealthy nations over poor ones, the report clearly states that it is not. It is meant to reflect the responsibility and need for wealthy nations to play a significant role in relocating IIDCCs. The report emphasizes that if developed countries do not assist climate change’s victims, they will face
greater global instability and insecurity as well as likely be
blamed for climate change’s effects.
