Adaptation in an era of vanishing territory – the political economy of the impact of climate change versus total migration, status of statehood and refugees in Africa

Abstract

The Convention was adopted at the United Nations Headquarters, New
 New York on May 9, 1992. In accordance with Article 20, it was open
 for signature at Rio de Janeiro from 4 to 14 June 1992, and thereafter at
 the United Nations Headquarters, New York, from 20 June 1992 to 19
 June 1993. By that date, the Convention had received 166 signatures.

Mass migration as a way of adapting to climate change impact is not new. However, the total migration of a permanent
 population from a defined territory as a coping response to the impact of climate change is only emerging. The development
 in such territories as the Marshall Islands raises a fresh concern about the possibility of total migration of a
 population from the territory which they have long occupied as a state, a development which has implications for low
 lying states in Africa such as Sao Tome and Principe and Madagascar which may stand the risk of submergence due to
 global warming. Yet, increase in sea level is not the only occurrence that may result in total migration of a population.
 The removal of a population from a defined territory may also be in response to other impacts including water availability,
 food security, health and extreme weather condition. When the whole population of a defined state totally migrates,
 it highlights the centrality of human survival to the topic of climate change. More importantly, it poses certain
 questions in international life namely, whether a whole population forced to leave in another territory still retain a
 claim to statehood? Equally too, it introduces the concept of climate induced migration as a factor to be considered in
 evaluating the legal status for refugeehood.

http://www.businessperspectives.org/component/option,com_journals/task,journal/id,9/Itemid,74/

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