ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CLIMATE-INDUCED MIGRATION

Resumo

Due to its complexity, climate-induced migration can be explored from different angles and disciplines. Over the last decades, scholars and practitioners engaged with this topic have extensively discussed the terminology in use, the (still) controversial link between human mobility and climate change, and the legal status of those fleeing environmental disruptions. However, a comprehensive understanding of the justice-related angle of this issue seems underdeveloped. What precisely is the ‘injustice’ where people forced to migrate because of slow-onset, rapid-onset, or extreme weather-related events are concerned? The following chapter seeks to answer this question by examining climate-induced migration through the lens of environmental justice (EJ). To this end, the chapter proceeds first by analysing the EJ paradigm, its origin, and its main features. The critical examination of this paradigm reveals that, despite its numerous nuances and diversity in different geographical contexts, at the core of EJ is the pursuit of the same degree of protection from environmental hazards and equal access to environmental goods. Given the protection gap and the limited access to environmental resources experienced in their countries of origin, an EJ approach to the climate-induced migrants seems particularly appropriate. Second, the chapter justifies the choice of using this concept by emphasizing how its multi-disciplinary nature, multi-dimensional justice, and multi-scale (spatial and temporal) approach well suit the climate-induced migration that significantly varies over time, space, and contexts. Finally, it suggests a proposal to remedy the injustice of climate-induced migration by an EJ-oriented pathway. Unlike the state-centric EJ perspective claiming for more actions from states most advanced so far, this proposal introduces a community-based EJ approach rooted in the notion of collective capabilities. I argue that incorporating this approach within the operation of the UNFCCC-led Task Force on displacement may render communities more resistant and resilient to environmental degradation. Further, a narrower focus on the community and better implementation of the principle of public participation may become paramount for coordinating emergency measures such as evacuation, resettlement, and planned relocation by inclusive, fair processes.