1. Climate change induced
displacement and migration
People on the Move - Migration for
Development
Sophia Wirsching
Advisor for Migration and Development
Human Rights Department
Diakonisches Werk der EKD e.V.
Stafflenbergstr. 76
D-70184 Stuttgart
mailto:s.wirsching@diakonie-human-rights.org

2. Outline
• About „Brot für die Welt“
• Climate Change and Migration
• Causes and Scenarios
• „Sinking Islands“
• Bangladesh
• Definitions and their limits
• Climate Refugees and International Law
• Challenges
• What needs to be done?
26. September 2012 webinar Alumniportal Deutschland

3. „Brot für die Welt“
• Set up in 1959
• programme of development work initiated by the
protestant churches in Germany
• "Brot für die Welt" works jointly with local churches and
partner organisations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and
Eastern Europe on over 1,000 projects, all of which are
aimed at helping people to help themselves.
• part of Ecumenical Diaconia, a department of the
Diakonisches Werk of the Evangelical Church in Germany
• member of
• Guiding principle: “Justice for the Poor”
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4. Climate Change
leads to voluntary and forced migration
Source: WBGU
Source: WBGU
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5. Vulnerability
to climate change impact
“Degree to which geophysical, biological and
socio-economic systems are susceptible
to, and unable to cope with, adverse impacts
of climate change”
(IPPC, 2007)

6. „The Human Tide“
Climate induced Migration in Numbers
Economical and political factors remain driving forces
of displacement and migration.
But: Climate change does contribute to displacement
and migration already.
WBGU: 10-25 % of global migration movements result
of climate change and climate change consequences
(up to 60 million migrants)
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7. Sinking Islands
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8. Sea Level Rise
Quelle: CSM Geographie
© 2008, Le Monde diplomatique, Berlin
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9. Sun without mercy
Source: CSM Geographie
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10. Water is a scarce ressource
Disapearance
of Lake Chad
Source: BBC
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11. Floods Burning Forests
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12. Impacts from a Human Rights
perspective
Rising sea level and storms are direct causes
of flooding of territories, population
displacement, salination of fresh water
resources, diminishing habitable and
cultivable land
Impact in turn affect the right to self-
determination, right to own property, right to
life, right to work, right to development...

13. Impacts from a Human Rights
perspective
Rising surface termperatures leads to greater
occurence of diseases ...
Impacts affect the right to health and the right
to life

14. Impacts from a Human Rights
perspective
Increasing frequency and intensity of extreme
wheather events
affects right to life, right to health, right to
housing...

15. Impacts from a Human Rights
perspective
Receding coastlines and permafrost melting
cause damage to land, houses and other
infrastructure
affecting the right to an adequate standard of
living

16. Frequent patterns of
climate induced migration
• Displaced Persons from rural areas resettle
within short distances,
• Aim to remain in familiar livelihood conditions
• Movement to the larger cities second-tier
• Exception: young, better educated men
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17. Ruhula Amin
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18. What do we know?
• Most of the persons affected remain within the
country
• Forced migration and displacement often can be
avoided through adaptation measures
But: poorer countries often lack necessary resources
for sustainable adaptation
There is hardly any protection for climate induced
displaced persons across borders .
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19. Four categories of mobility
1. Forced Displacement
2. Migration
3. Planned relocation
4. Immobility
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20. Definitions and their limits
• Differentiation: climate or environment?
• Cause: sudden or slow onset changes?
• Whom we are talking about?
– vulnerability
– intra- or international movement
– forced or voluntary?
– permanent or temporary migration
• Mobility has always been an adaptation
strategy
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21. Protection gaps in International Law
Source: T. Hummitzsch
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22. Challenges
Climate Justice and Human Rights
• Who takes responsibility for those who lost their
everything due to anthropogenic climate change?
• Which legal status has to be applied to persons
deprived of their livelihood due to climate change?
• According to which legal framework can those
persons claim their rights?
• Who pays the bill?
• How can „the polluters“ be held liable?
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23. What needs to be done?
Assume political responsibility
and define answers
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24. What needs to be done?
Avoid dangerous climate change
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25. What needs to be done?
Adaptation with a human rights based approach
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26. What needs to be done?
Establish protection mechanisms
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27. What needs to be done?
Strengthening adaptation capacities
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28. Beyond Adaptation
• Think beyond concepts of adaptation where
necessary
Remedy, Reparation, Compensation
E.g. in the case of climate induced migration:
develop concepts of protection: and support
human rights based relocation

29. Thanks a lot for your attention!
Sophia Wirsching
s.wirsching@brot-fuer-die-welt.de
www.brot-fuer-die-welt.de
26. September 2012 webinar Alumniportal Deutschland