International Law and Sea-Level Rise: Forced Migration and Human Rights

Abstract

This report provides a general overview of the international law issues relating to sea-level rise, (forced) migration and human rights. The first part provides a brief account of “What We Know and What We Can Expect”, discussing sealevel rise and its impacts, and then, in turn, their relationship and interaction with the criteria of statehood, human rights and mobility. The second part features “tools” with the potential to address the mobility and human rights implications associated with sea-level rise and its impacts. Part two initially explores interventions that would enable affected persons to remain in situ, before embarking on an examination of extant “tools” pertinent to internal and cross-border movements, respectively. The final part presents the way forward, drawing out key areas and principles of international law with the capacity to lend clarity and content to States’ obligations to address the challenges presented by sea-level rise.

Keywords: Forced migration, migration, displacement, planned relocation, human rights, sea-level rise, climate change, disasters, international law, statehood