Legal Aspects of Protecting Migrants' Rights in the Context of Disasters, Climate Change and Environmental Degradation

The climate crisis is the defining challenge of our time, contributing to the displacement of millions of people each year, and leaving millions more trapped or immobile in areas exposed to extreme weather events. In this context, protecting the rights of migrants and affected communities remains central to IOM’s climate action.

Those who become displaced, migrate, or relocate predominantly for reasons of changes in the environment are entitled to the same human rights protection as others – whether that is within the borders of one state or crossing into another. In this respect, international human rights law and international customary law, apart from other branches of international law and various regional instruments, offer the most comprehensive and flexible legal framework for providing protection to environmental migrants.

The purpose of this paper is to outline IOM’s position with respect to the legal foundation of protection related to migration in the context of disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation and to elaborate on the legal and policy instruments available for the protection of migrants' rights.