Who is a Climate Refugee?

The Geneva Refugee Convention defines a refugee as a person who "owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country"

Today there is no set definition for who is considered a climate refugee. This lack of definition results from the lack of policy and law that address the issues of climate change and migration by the United Nations and its agencies. I personally feel that the International Organization for Migration provides an excellent definition for climate refugees, one that, perhaps the UN should consider.

"Environmental migrants are persons or groups of persons who, for reasons of sudden or progressive changes in the environment that adversely affect their lives or living conditions, are obliged to have to leave their habitual homes, or choose to do so, either temporarily or permanently, and who move either within their territory or abroad."

check out their website http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/definitional-issues