Ecological Migrants: International Legal Status and Prospects of its Consolidation
https://doi.org/10.17803/2313-5395.2021.2.16.226-246
Abstract
This article is devoted to ecological migrants, a category of persons that arose as a result of their displacement due to ecological reasons. At the present time ecological migrants do not have a legal status that would be enshrined in international law. This paper gives a definition of the content of the international legal status of ecological migrants, which reflects main characteristic of this category of persons. The article discusses prospects of establishing a protection of ecological migrants under a separate international treaty that would enshrine the international legal status of ecological migrants, lists advantages of an international treaty, proposes a concept of the treaty indicating prospective rights and obligations of ecological migrants and international legal obligations of Member States.
About the Author
E. Yu. Markova
Ashen Law Group
United States
United States
Ekaterina Yu. Markova - LL.M., Cand. Sci. (Law), Law Clerk at Ashen Law Group
217 N. Jefferson St., Chicago, IL 60661 USA
References
1. Betts, A., (2010). Soft Law and the Protection of Vulnerable Migrants. Georgetown Immigration Law Journal, 24.
2. Docherty, B. and Giannini, T., (2009). Confronting a Rising Tide: A Proposal for a Convention on Climate Change Refugees, Harvard Environmental Law Review, 33, pp. 349–403.
3. Draft Convention on the International Status of EnvironmentallyDisplaced Persons, (2013). CRIDEAU and CRDP, Faculty of Law and Economic Science, University of Limoges. Available at: https://clck.ru/ K2tWY [Accessed 15 June 2021].
4. Goose, S.D., (2008). Cluster Munitions in the Crosshairs: In Pursuit of a Prohibition. In: Williams, J. et al. (eds.) Banning Landmines: Disarmament, Citizen Diplomacy, and Human Security. Rowman & Littlefield. Pp. 217–240.
5. Kälin, W. and Schrepfer, N., (2012). Protecting People Crossing Borders in the Context of Climate Change Normative Gaps and Possible Approaches. UNHCR: Legal and Protection Policy Research Series, Division of International Protection, PPLA/2012/01.
6. Lukovskaya, D.I., (2007). Human rights and civil rights. The legal status of a person and a citizen. History of State and Law, 13, pp. 34– 36. (In Russ.)
7. McAdam, J., (2011). Swimming against the Tide: Why a Climate Change Displacement Treaty is Not the Answer. International Journal of Refugee Law, 23.
8. Revue Européenne de Droit de l’Environnement. Projet de Convention Relative au Statut International des Déplacés Environnementaux, (2008). Available at: https://www.persee.fr/issue/ reden_1283-8446_2006_num_10_4 [Accessed 15 June 2021].
9. UN General Assembly, (2012). Human Rights of Migrants. A/67/299.
10. UN General Assembly, (2016). Resolution adopted on 19 September 2016, New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants. A/RES/70/302.
11. UN General Assembly, (2018). Resolution adopted on 17 December 2018. Global Compact on Refugees. A/RES/73/151.
12. UN General Assembly, (2018). Resolution adopted on 19 December 2018, Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. A/RES/73/195.
13. UN Secretary-General, (2021). United Nations SecretaryGeneral. Available at: https://www.un.org/sg/en/ [Accessed 15 June 2021].
14. Williams, A., (2008). Turning the Tide: Recognizing Climate Change Refugees in International Law. Law & Policy, 30 (4), pp. 502– 529.
Review
For citations:
Markova E.Yu. Ecological Migrants: International Legal Status and Prospects of its Consolidation. Kutafin Law Review. 2021;8(2):226-246. https://doi.org/10.17803/2313-5395.2021.2.16.226-246
Views:
581
Email this article 
