By Rex Alex

Environmental refugees face similar experiences as other refugees however they are held to different standards. The first step in evaluating these differences is to accurately define an Environmental Refugee. The best definition is presented by the International Organization for Migration which states that an Environmental Refugee is, “persons or groups of persons who, for compelling reasons of sudden or progressive change in the environment that adversely affect their lives or living conditions, are obliged to leave their conditional homes, or choose to do so, either temporarily or permanently, and who move either within their country or abroad.” 

Although this definition is accurate it is not sufficient under international law for the principle of non-refoulement, which prevents refugees from being sent back to a country where they face danger, to be extended to Environmental Refugees. This privilege is denied for Environmental Refugees as per the 1951 refugee convention from the UNHCR which effectively limits this protection to refugees facing dangers from a government or organization based on their identity.