International Law and Climate-Induced Migration: The Case of Bangladesh

Climate change, a global phenomenon, has a wide-reaching impact on humans and nature. By the end of the twenty-first century, as several reports claim, many states will lose their landmass to the ocean, leading to mass migration. People will move from one place to another to escape adverse weather events. This chapter highlights the existing gaps in international law on the protection of climate-induced dislocated populations. It further discusses how existing international agreements or conventions can provide a legal basis for climate-induced human mobility instead of opting for a new instrument. This chapter addresses the issue of climate-induced migration in the context of Bangladesh and provides an analysis of the existing national instruments dealing with climate-induced migration or dislocations. Finally, it suggests that international cooperation is an essential tool to rehabilitate the climate-induced displaced populations of Bangladesh.