A New Framework for Climate Displacement

Global warming is already forcing communities to leave their homes and pushing those who stay into deeper poverty. This crisis is often overlooked because the world focuses heavily on reducing carbon emissions. However, the Global Climate Mobility Principles offer a new framework. This framework helps policymakers ensure that displaced individuals keep their rights and their ability to make choices about their futures.

SAN JOSÉ/GABORONE—Last year, leaders from vulnerable countries gathered at the first Berlin Climate Mobility Forum. These leaders came from Africa, South Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean, and other regions. They highlighted an urgent reality that is often ignored: climate change threatens both the planet and the people who live on it. As climate effects become more severe, communities in the front lines face difficult decisions. Some people choose to stay to protect their cultural traditions and livelihoods, even as risks grow. Others feel they have no choice but to leave their homes. In some cases, entire communities have been forced to relocate.

Individuals cannot solve this problem alone. Leaders at the forum agreed that governments must direct resources to where they are needed most. They must also support communities in planning for adaptation. Yet, a year later, global and national policies remain inadequate and fragmented. Leaders are preparing to meet again at the second Berlin Climate Mobility Forum on June 18–19. The lack of cohesive policy remains a major barrier.

When sudden disasters like storms, floods, and wildfires displace people, countries usually respond with emergency aid. The success of these efforts varies. However, after the emergency phase ends, those uprooted by disasters often find it impossible to rebuild or return home. This requires long-term solutions. Most people displaced by climate change remain within their own countries. But those who cross international borders face added challenges. They rarely meet the legal definition of refugees. This creates a gray area in international law, making it difficult to protect them from threats and abuse.

The situation becomes even more complex when climate change gradually erodes living conditions. Slow-onset changes, such as rising sea levels or prolonged droughts, force people to move out of necessity, not choice. Formal pathways to assist rural-urban migrants or provide legal status for those settling abroad are scarce. Meanwhile, people who remain in severely affected areas may fall deeper into poverty, becoming increasingly vulnerable. Current climate negotiations, migration agreements, and disaster-risk frameworks are parts of the solution. However, none provides a complete response. These efforts are siloed and reactive, leaving communities underprepared for climate-related risks.

A new approach is desperately needed. The first crucial step is to find a common language for this complex, deeply human reality. The term "climate mobility" accurately describes the different types of movement involved. This includes forced displacement, migration, and planned relocation. It also covers the risk of immobility, where people are unable to move even when they need to. These movements are motivated by the adverse effects of sudden and slow-onset climate disasters. These disasters occur both within and across borders.

Next, policymakers must devise an appropriate course of action. The Global Climate Mobility Principles provide this direction. These principles will be presented for endorsement at this month’s forum. They are designed to complement and consolidate existing international laws and policies. These include the Paris climate agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Global Compact for Migration, and the Nansen Initiative Protection Agenda.