Seminar: Protecting People on the Move in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change 

Every year, millions of people are forcibly displaced by floods, wind-storms, earthquakes, droughts and other natural disasters.  Many people find refuge within their own country, but some have to go abroad.  Climate change is likely to increase the frequency and severity of these and related phenomena.   National and international responses to the challenge are insufficient and protection for affected people remains inadequate.

In view of this protection gap, The Nansen Initiative on Disaster-Induced Cross-Border Displacement was established in late 2012.  The Nansen Initiative is a State-led, bottom-up consultative process led by the governments of Norway and Switzerland.  Through a series of regional consultations, it aims to build consensus on the development of a protection agenda addressing the needs of people displaced across borders in the context of disasters and climate change.

The Nansen Initiative’s work plan focuses on three types of movement – displacement, migration and planned relocation.  These were highlighted by States during the international climate negotiations in 2010 as requiring further understanding, coordination and cooperation.  The panel will examine each of these kinds of movement to identify how, why and when people may move in response to disasters and the impacts of climate change, and what legal and policy frameworks are needed to support such movement. 

Speakers:

Professor Walter Kälin 
Envoy of the Chairmanship of The Nansen Initiative and Professor of Law, University of Berne

Bruce Burson 
Independent expert and member of The Nansen Initiative Consultative Committee

Professor Jane McAdam
Director of the Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW and member of The Nansen Initiative Consultative Committee 

Listen to a podcast from this event.