Publication: On the Front Line of Climate Change and Displacement: Learning From and With Pacific Island Countries

Pacific Island countries are internationally regarded as a barometer for the early impacts of climate change. Their geophysical characteristics, demographic patterns and location in the Pacific Ocean make them particularly vulnerable to the effects of global warming. Small Island Developing States, a UN-established category which includes most Pacific Island countries, are characterized by a high […]

News: Gregory Wannier Analyzes the Legal Implications of Sea-Level Rise

(chinadialogue) July 11, 2011 – In December 2008, a series of swells coinciding with seasonal high (“king”) tide engulfed the island atoll of Majuro, capital of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. These waves washed out roads and low-lying houses, forced a state of emergency and caused over US$1.5 million […]

New Paper: Climate Change and the Risk of Statelessness: The Situation of Low-lying Island States

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 […]

New Podcasts

Again, thanks to Forced Migration Current Awareness, we learned of a series of podcasts that deal with environmentally-induced migration : Stephen Castles Speaks on Climate Refugees (BBC, May 2011) [access] “Environmental Refugee” Not Accurate for Pacific (Radio Australia, May 2011) [access] Tuvaluans Don’t Want to be Called Refugees (Radio Australia, May 2011) [access] Many thanks, […]

Special Issue: Environmentally-Induced Migration in the Context of Social Vulnerability

Thanks to Forced Migration Current Awareness we learned of a special issue of International Migration that focuses on environmentally-induced migration. Contents include the following: A Decision Framework for Environmentally Induced Migration Multidimensional Re-creation of cialis sale Vulnerabilities and Potential for Resilience in International Migration The Thin Line Between Choice and Flight: Environment and Migration in Rural […]

News: Sea-Level Rise Could "Displace Millions" in Vietnam

(IRIN) May 20, 2011 – For centuries, residents around Can Tho, a city of 1.1m people in southern Vietnam, just 0.8m above sea level, have depended on flood cycles to grow crops. However, experts warn there is a possibility that sea levels will rise in the delta region around Can Tho due to climate change, […]