Susin

Park, Head, UNHCR Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein, wrote a paper entitled “Climate Change and the Risk of Statelessness:The Situation of Low-lying Island States.”

The paper begins by examining the elements of statehood under public international law. While there is a strong presumption of continuity for established states, the possibility of a total loss of territory for natural reasons, or the total displacement of a population and/or government, is entirely

novel, and would present a heightened risk of statelessness. The paper goes on to specifically examine the situation of low-lying island States, and the risk of statelessness that might result from their submersion. The paper concludes by exploring possible actions to prevent statelessness.

Read the paper in its

entirety here.