This panel problematises and critiques the notion of ‘displacement’ in the context of disasters and climate change. While the threat posed by climate change is real, its manifestations are not as straightforward as we might think. For instance, the idea that rising sea levels will displace millions of people and create ‘climate refugees’ is a popular trope, but it has little evidential grounding. Within the Pacific, multiple and diverse types of mobility, as well as immobility, have been used as coping strategies over centuries.

Amid increasingly complex and restrictive legislation, refugee advocates are turning to Australian courts for clarity and justice. It’s a slow, costly process, often with a slim chance of success, so when does it make sense? What goes into considering whether or not to run a case? How do lawyers choose which laws to fight, when and how? Is there a better way? In this panel, lawyers report from the frontlines about the success, stumbling blocks and sustainability of strategic litigation.