Press Release
IACHR publishes resolution on human mobility and climate change
December 30, 2024
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Washington, D.C.-
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has issued
Resolution No. 2/24 on human mobility caused by climate change. This
publication seeks to provide a comprehensive response to climate mobility,
providing guidance for States in the region in developing regulations, programs,
and public policies to protect the rights of people who are compelled to move
due to the adverse effects of climate change.
The resolution defines “climate mobility” as encompassing displacement,
migration, and planned relocation and as intersecting with immobility
(situations where individuals or communities face barriers that prevent them
from moving). It highlights the complex, multicausal nature of climate mobility,
which involves multiple interrelated factors that exacerbate the effects of
climate change, such as violence, insecurity, inequality, and persecution.
According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, the past decade has
seen approximately 24.5 million people internally displaced by disasters such as
floods and storms. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has noted that
the Americas is one of the global regions that is most exposed to climate change.
Hurricanes, wildfires, rising sea levels, environmental degradation, and
socio-environmental disasters are having a disproportionate effect on vulnerable
individuals and communities, forcing them to abandon their homes.
States in the Americas have taken steps to address some aspects of climate
mobility. However, the IACHR notes that certain challenges remain, including the
lack of policy alignment can the absence of a human rights-based approach in
many initiatives.
In response to this situation, the resolution provides structured, legal
recommendations that are grounded in inter-American standards to address various
aspects of climate mobility. Specifically, these include: i) measures to ensure
access to information and data availability; ii) State responsibilities in
relation to prevention, mitigation, and adaptation; iii) measures to foster
protection and assistance in response to immobility, migration, or displacement;
iv) guidelines for lasting solutions such as safe return, reintegration, or
planned relocation; and v) principles to guarantee access to justice and
reparation.
The IACHR expresses its hope that this resolution will serve as a practical
guide for States, fostering the adoption of effective, sustainable responses
that benefit individuals affected by climate mobility and their host
communities. These measures should prioritize a human rights-based approach,
equality, and nondiscrimination. The IACHR reiterates its commitment to
providing technical support to States in the Americas and playing an active role
in shaping and implementing their responses.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is an autonomous body of
the Organization of American States (OAS) whose mandate is based on the OAS
Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote
and defend human rights throughout the Americas and to serve as an advisory body
to the OAS in this area. The IACHR consists of seven independent members elected
by the OAS General Assembly who serve in a personal capacity and do not
represent their countries of origin or residence.
No. 330/24
9:30 AM