Most informed observers of the world today reflect upon two phenomena which drive social change. The first of these is technology, especially digital technology; the second is the vast and constant movement of people.
People move for three reasons: the first of these is tourism, a first world phenomenon, or that of the leisure class in the third world.
The second reason is the most significant: economic migration. Wherever people can find better employment and a higher standard of living, they will move to those countries, and try desperately try to get into them.
The third reason is related to the second: people move because they are persecuted in their own countries and seek a safer place to live.
To these three reasons we can now add a fourth: climate disaster.
The hostility of nature — floods, the land turning arid, recurring droughts, acid rain — is a major cause for people wanting to relocate to a safer, more hospitable place. These are the “climate migrants.”
“Migration has now become a very complex and intertwined phenomenon”
“Each of Africa’s 54 countries is facing climate distress and forced migration”, says Elsadig El Sheikh, director of the Global Justice Program at Berkeley. “These factors are wrecking ecosystems and creating conflicts over the use of water and arable land.”
But not just Africa, which admittedly is the hardest hit. Countries like the Philippines, Bangladesh, China and even the United States also suffer displacement of their populations because of climate disaster.
Take the recent case of India. During the pandemic’s early months there was an exodus of migrant laborers — who otherwise form the “invisible workers” in Indian megacities — returning to their homes. People moved across vast distances, often with no mechanized means of transport.
It was the Covid epidemic and consequent illness, and the strictures of a callous government, that “pushed” them to migrate.
Thus, migration has now become a very complex and intertwined phenomenon. No longer is it just because of wars and political conflict, no longer is it just because of economic hardship.
Now natural disasters caused by inclement weather cripple livelihoods over a long duration. When this happens, people lose the ability to survive in such harsh conditions. They want to move, and they will move.
“Pope Francis alone has begged affluent countries to relax their border policies and admit more climate migrants”
From 2008 to 2018, 263 million people were displaced because of climate disasters — 10 times more people than are displaced by wars. Today climate migration is a crisis in some parts of the world, and a long-term problem in other parts. This will only get worse.
Why so? Most countries have not been serious about handling global warming by curtailing their use of fossil fuels. They must therefore expect increased droughts, flooding, rising sea levels and their impact upon people everywhere.
This means more climate induced migration.
Of the major world leaders, Pope Francis alone has begged affluent countries to relax their border policies and admit more climate migrants. His pleas have not been heeded, even as thousands of Africans have perished in the Mediterranean trying to make the crossing to southern Europe.
A legal structure that protects such people is sorely needed.
At the moment, the Refugee Convention of 1951, drawn up in the context of the Cold War, deals with political refugees — not climate refugees who’ve had their homes and livelihood destroyed because of disasters of the weather.
It is true that in the case of earthquakes and hurricanes, the US has offered relief and shelter to those so affected.
However, we are not talking of temporary relief, but of a situation which has all the makings of a permanent crisis — as in Pacific islands being swallowed by the seas, or large areas of Saharan countries turned into deserts.
“It is quite clear that the developed economies are much better equipped at assisting refugees”
Most of the world’s increase in global temperatures was produced by the industrialized countries of Europe and North America, so it is only right that these countries feel an ethical sense of responsibility towards climate impacted people.
That this is not happening at the pace it should is a sad comment on our systems of justice and fair play.
It is true that China and India are also industrializing rapidly and should share this burden, but it is quite clear that the developed economies are much better equipped at assisting refugees.
For example: many industrialized countries have jobs that aren’t being filled by their nationals – agricultural work, for instance, medical services, home care, and civic maintenance and construction — where importing labor would bolster their economies.
Thereby migrants can increase their earnings, even while the host country profits from their labor, a win-win situation for all.
Only it needs to be done in a legally instituted manner where the rights of migrant people are protected.
Climate disaster is driving people from central America to the US border, from African countries across the Mediterranean and into Europe.
In almost every Asian country, it swells the slums and creates a growing criminal underclass.
Beyond the bonhomie and joyful celebration associated with Christmas, we must remember that the Child Jesus was a refugee too.
And we who are privileged must create solutions to empower such people with the shelter, work and dignity owed to them.
*The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official editorial position of UCA News.
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