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2023 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

Climate Change and Human Mobility: Responsibilities Under International Environmental Law

Authors : Hossain Mohammad Reza, Mostafa Mahmud Naser

Published in: Comparative Approaches in Law and Policy

Publisher: Springer Nature Singapore

Abstract

Natural climate variations have existed for thousands of years, but since the industrial revolution and particularly after World War II, anthropogenic climate change has gradually emerged due to the availability of cheap fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) and the dramatic rise in their consumption, especially in industrialized countries. Although historical and current global emissions of GHG have originated in developed countries, the negative effects of climate change have been unevenly and disproportionally visited upon mostly developing countries. Apparently, those who have generally contributed the least to anthropogenic climate change bear the most harm and responsibility stemming from its effects (i.e. managing climate-related human mobility, with the least capacity). However, international environmental law recognizes that those who contributed most to causing the harm bear both legal and moral obligations for mitigating it. The debate on shifting burdens for climate change pivots predominantly around three established principles of customary international law— the polluter pays principle, the principle of no-harm, and the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities’ (CDBR&RC). In this context, this chapter explores the responsibilities of the countries under international environmental law to provide compensation and assistance to the people displaced because of climate change and examine if the loss and damage mechanism within the Paris Agreement is an appropriate forum to ensure adequate compensation and assistance.

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previous chapter Cross Border Judicial Dialogue: A Look at Indian Supreme Court’s Engagement with Australian Jurisprudence in National Legal Services Authority V. Union of India

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This principle originates from general principles of equity and is considered as a basis for ensuring cooperation, effectiveness, solidarity and fair treatment between states. In international environmental law, this principle places stronger obligations on developed countries while provides fewer obligations on developing countries. For example, Principle 7 of the 1992 Rio Declaration creates an obligation on all states to contribute towards environmental integrity emphasizing that ‘developed countries have a greater responsibility as a result of the pressures their societies place on the global environment and of the technologies and financial resources they command.’.

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Title: Climate Change and Human Mobility: Responsibilities Under International Environmental Law
Authors: Hossain Mohammad Reza
Mostafa Mahmud Naser
Publisher: Springer Nature Singapore
Book: Comparative Approaches in Law and Policy
Print ISBN: 978-981-9944-59-0

Electronic ISBN: 978-981-9944-60-6

Copyright Year: 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4460-6_8