Climate migrants today are assimilated into economic migrants through international law

(Rinnovabili.it) – me Climate immigrants They are a reality. Behind the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, climate change and its effects on the economy, society and the environment on which the resources depend. But this convergence of migration and climate persists Controversial in international lawAnd the As Cmcc’s Cristina Cattaneo demonstrates well. Now a quiet decision by Joe Biden could speed up official recognition.

The new American president has ordered his National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, To assess how climate resettlement of migrants is implemented. Sullivan has 6 months to report where to submit Options for the protection and resettlement of individuals displaced directly or indirectly due to climate changeAnd the Climate riporta home page.

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While nothing is certain yet, the mere fact that the United States is considering this possibility is an unprecedented step forward on the matter. Climate migrants today do not exist under international law. The condition of those fleeing their lands because of the climate is one that has no specific recognition. It is absorbed into economic migrants. A big difference: the latter does not enjoy the rights granted to whoever obtains them Refugee status, Can’t get it seek refuge And do not ask about forms International protection.

The climate debate over migrant protection stems, in large part, from the difficulty in isolating one factor as the direct reason for choosing to migrate. The phenomenon of migration is multi-cause, and the decision to move is usually made on the basis of a combination of factors. Another aspect is the direct causal relationship between climate and migration, which is not easy to define. Climate migrants are often categorized as “just” economic migrants, Although the impacts of climate change as well as the devastation caused by extreme weather events may be the root cause of their deteriorating economic conditions.

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For these reasons, too, the way Biden voiced the mandate to Sullivan seems very important. The document actually mentions Not only direct causation but also indirect causationThus, an openness to the widespread recognition of climate migrants. And not only protection but also the assumption of resettlement is considered: in the first case, only border states have to take charge, while in the second case, they take the case immediately. Global accessibility.

The Sullivan report will include the views of the departments of foreign affairs, defense, homeland security, international development, and intelligence. According to estimates by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, between 200 and 250 million people will be displaced by climate change by mid-century. On this front Italy Had already taken it A position more advanced than that expressed by international law. In the most recent security decree approved in December 2020, the legislator provided for the possibility of recognizing the humanitarian protection of those who migrate due to climate reasons, while redesigning the perimeter of a natural disaster situation.