Climate mobility

​​​Climate mobility refers to the movement of individuals or groups—within or across international borders—driven by the adverse impacts of climate change. This can take the form of displacement, migration, or planned relocation.​​

Climate mobility is not a singular event, but a spectrum of movement shaped by both sudden-onset disasters (such as hurricanes, wildfires, and floods) and slow-onset environmental degradation (such as desertification, sea-level rise, and prolonged drought). As the United Nations Development Programme highlights, these shocks and stresses are significant drivers of human mobility. The United Nations Refugee Agency estimates that over 200 million people may be displaced within their own countries annually by 2050, while other sources predict global climate-related displacement could affect over a billion people.

​​​Global temperatures have now surpassed the critical 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement, with recent years shattering heat records and accelerating climate-related displacement. Beyond the numbers lies a deeper ethical challenge: How do we protect those for whom climate change renders their homes uninhabitable or their states unable to provide basic security? According to frameworks like the Model International Mobility Convention and the Nansen Initiative, people facing climate-induced displacement may require international protection if returning home would expose them to serious threats to their life or physical integrity. Where individuals face threats to their human security, and state resilience and adaptive capacity are overwhelmed, the global community must grapple with normative obligations that extend beyond existing bodies of international law.

​​​In international affairs, climate mobility challenges traditional notions of sovereignty, responsibility, and border governance. It raises questions about who deserves protection, what justice looks like in a warming world, and how legal norms can evolve to meet the needs of climate-displaced individuals and groups. As this issue gains urgency, new thinking—and new mechanisms—are required to meet the demands of ethics in action.​​

So what actions can be taken? What impact will climate mobility have on international affairs? For more on this topic, explore Carnegie Council's and additional resources below.

An initiative of Carnegie Council, the Model International Mobility Convention (MIMC) offers an improved system for migration and mobility by filling gaps in international law. It proposes a broad set of guidelines, delineating actions, rights, and duties that aid migrants and refugees as well as their states of origin, transit, and destination.

MIMC was developed by an International Mobility Commission at meetings organized by the Columbia Global Policy Initiative and it is currently in its third iteration. The initiative is now focusing on climate-induced mobility as one of its thematic areas of inquiry.

1. Is there an ethical obligation for countries that contribute the most to climate change to accept more climate refugees?
2. What role should private corporations play in addressing climate mobility, particularly if their activities have contributed to displacement?
3. What ethical frameworks should guide the development of policies for climate-induced migration?
4. Who should bear the responsibility for funding relocation efforts for communities displaced by climate change?
5. What ethical responsibilities do we have to protect the cultural identities of communities that must relocate due to climate change?
6. How should governments prioritize resources between investing in technological solutions—like building seawalls or creating climate-resilient infrastructure—and relocating communities? What are the trade-offs of each approach?
7. How should we address the mental and emotional health needs of climate migrants who experience loss of home, community, and livelihood?
8. How should resources and support be allocated to ensure that climate migrants have access to job opportunities and economic stability in their new locations?