UNHCR Protection Manual - Related sources

This paper will assess the relevance of the principle that statelessness should be prevented in addressing the situation of low-lying island States. The paper begins by examining the elements of statehood under public international law. The paper goes on to specifically examine the situation of low-lying island States, and the risk of statelessness that might result from their submersion. The paper concludes by exploring possible actions to prevent statelessness.

Cross-border displacement as a result of natural disasters and the effects of climate change has been identified as a normative gap in the international protection regime. This paper focuses on the relevance of complementary protection standards applicable at the universal, regional and national levels as a means to address such displacement. It provides an overview of current discussions on climate-related forced displacement and legal responses to it.

This article first tries to understand why the environmental aspect of the study of migration and refugees has, up until now, been neglected. The author then proposes a definition of population movements induced by environmental factors, before concentrating on climate aspects by providing a synthesis of results put forward by researchers. Finally, it examines forecasts for future developments.