Protecting Environmental Migrants: Adapting International Law in the Face of Climate Change

This article addresses the issues related to determining the international legal status of environmental migrants, as well as the application of existing legal instruments in the protection of the rights of environmental migrants in the context of climate change. The purpose of the research is to identify gaps in international cooperation regarding the protection of the rights of environmental migrants due to climate change and to develop recommendations for improving their situation. Results. Climate change has a significant impact on migration processes worldwide. The physical destruction of habitats or the emergence of climate-determined social conflicts forces individuals to become refugees or forced migrants. There is a system of international treaties aimed at protecting the rights of migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons. However, neither the 1951 Refugee Convention nor any other international treaty addresses the issue of forced migration in the context of climate change. As a result, climate-induced environmental migration largely falls outside the scope of international legal regulation. One of the most effective ways to ensure the protection of the rights of environmental migrants at the international level is through the adaptation of existing legal instruments. Specifically, rethinking the content of the concept of 'refugee' in international law would create the possibility of applying international legal instruments to protect the rights of environmental migrants in the context of climate change. In countries facing migration challenges due to climate change, practices have begun to emerge that utilize existing instruments to safeguard the rights of environmental migrants.