The problem with fears about ‘climate refugees’Climate-related mass migration, and the political consequences it produces, may have profound consequences in addition to rising temperatures themselves. Refugees, under international law, are people who have been forced to flee their own countries because of persecution. That means that a lot of refugee policy debates are essentially about countries’ obligations to vulnerable foreigners. But climate change is most likely to displace people within their own countries, and drive them to seek protection from their own governments. And climate disasters can also exacerbate other causes of cross-border migration, such as violence or weak labor markets.

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Persons: ”, Stephanie Schwartz, it’s Organizations: London School of Economics Locations: United States