Climate-Induced Migration in the Indo-Pacific Regions
摘要
Climate change is one of the many accepted realities of the twenty-first century and the most dynamic and evolving one. The link between climate change and human mobility is complex as it is aligned with social, environmental, economic, cultural, and political factors. The adverse impacts of climate change, such as sea-level rise, floods, drought, and storms, are displacing millions of people, which goes against sustainable development. These displacements impact people and their livelihoods by changing their way of living, causing stress, uncertainty, and, worst cases, loss of lives and property. The research tries to identify the vulnerabilities caused by climate change, understand the coping mechanisms adopted by the affected states in the Indo-Pacific region, and identify available international support. The research adopts a qualitative method of inquiry, with literature and policy documents as well as case studies from vulnerable regions. It finds the coping mechanisms adopted by these states, what type of support is available with international agencies, and how states in the Indo-Pacific region can utilize the available mechanisms to mitigate the challenges emanating from climate-induced migration leading to sustainable development are some of the crucial questions the study would attempt to answer. It reveals that millions of people remain vulnerable to displacement without proper protection or support due to the lack of extant refugee laws and the reluctance of the international community to formally recognize climate refugees.