Climate-Policy Induced Migration

Abstract

This working paper was based on research conducted in the context of the project ‘ClimAccount – Human Rights Accountability of the EU and Austria for Climate Policies in Third Countries and their possible Effects on Migration (KR13AC6K11043)’ funded by the Austrian Climate and Research Fund, ACRP 6th Call, that was implemented by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights (Vienna/Austria), the University of Bielefeld (Germany) and the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy (Germany). It constituted the basis for field research conducted in Panama, Kenya and Uganda in 2015.

The focus of the paper was to clarify terminology and identify applicable instruments in connection with the category of climate-policy induced migration. In the process, common characteristics of the phenomenon with climate-induced migration and development-based displacement were highlighted. Moreover, obligations of states and institutions were elaborated.

Keywords: Climate Change, Climate Policy, Migration, Development-Based Migration, Displacement, Resettlement, Financing Institutions, Human Rights