by Iffat Ara Sharmeen,
November 24, 2024
Friendship has been working on climate adaptation for more than 22 years in the remote, disaster-prone riverine islands in Bangladesh. At COP29 Azerbaijan, Friendship shared its achievements as a model for managing climate migration in an insightful workshop.
In 2022, climate-induced disasters displaced over 30 million people, with approximately 60,000 displacements a day over the past 10 years. Many individuals from climate-vulnerable countries, like Bangladesh, face rising sea levels, storms, droughts, and loss of livelihoods. Northern Bangladesh’s shifting river islands, or chars, are particularly at risk. Friendship has been working in these areas to boost climate resilience through sustainable, inclusive interventions. At COP29, Friendship presented these efforts in a workshop, “Enhancing Climate Resilience by Securing Legal Rights for Migrants,” led by Kazi Amdadul Hoque, Senior Director and Head of Climate Action and Strategic Plan at Friendship, to advocate for a global legal framework for climate migrants.
An Unending Cycle of Climate-induced Displacement
Floods and river erosion constantly reshape the char landscape, forcing residents to migrate. These communities are hit hardest by extreme weather, leaving them without a stable foundation to rebuild their lives. Displacement disrupts their socio-economic, political, and communal structures, creating gaps in access to vital services like healthcare, education, and employment. Despite being citizens, they are often treated as stateless or landless.
In this context, climate migration is a harsh reality. The UNHCR acknowledges that climate migrants lack legal protection, as the term doesn’t fit the definition of ‘refugee.’ Experts at the workshop discussed ways to secure the legal rights of climate migrants and ensure they live with dignity.
Recognise Climate Migrants by Law: Runa Khan
The workshop began with key insights from Friendship founder Runa Khan, who emphasised the need to define climate migration in international law. She called for the UNHCR to recognize climate migrants legally, as this would grant them access to essential resources and rights. Runa also highlighted the importance of expanding the Green Climate Fund to support communities hosting migrants, ensuring that there is extra funding for the resources they need. She stressed that legal rights would enable migrants to integrate, access services, and contribute to local economies, playing a crucial role in climate adaptation efforts. Upholding their dignity, she concluded, is a shared responsibility in tackling the global climate crisis.
Resilience Begins with Rights: Barrister Ayesha Taasin Khan
Securing legal rights for internally displaced persons is both a moral obligation and a responsibility of states. Ayesha Taasin Khan, Senior Director and Head of Inclusive Citizenship at Friendship, reminded the audience that the Paris Agreement highlights the need to protect vulnerable communities, many of whom are climate migrants. Field experiences of Friendship illuminate how legal rights can empower communities to enhance locally led adaptation, sustainability, and resilience.
Friendship’s Inclusive Citizenship programme in particular helps residents secure legal rights, particularly those who lose documentation due to the shifting char islands. Without land rights, they lack access to legal services, education, and government participation. Friendship’s paralegals assist with obtaining documentation, leading to improved school enrolment, higher employment, and a stronger sense of community ownership.
Climate migrants deserve not just legal support but also the benefits associated with it. Friendship provides quality healthcare services, sustainable land management, disaster preparedness, and community-driven climate adaptation. Char communities are also given flexible learning opportunities through mobile schools and vocational training, particularly for women and youth to build their entrepreneurial skills. Through these efforts, Friendship upholds the dignity of marginalised communities often overlooked by authorities.
Address the Diverse Needs of Displaced Communities: Prof. Francois Gemenne
Professor François Gemenne, Director of Hugo Observatory, praised Friendship’s work in Bangladesh, noting its success in addressing the diverse needs of climate-displaced communities. He highlighted the importance of focusing on habitability as it reflects the subjective perceptions of affected communities, not just climate models.
The lack of access to climate information and services often distorts perceptions of climate impacts, and hence, uninformed communities can wrongly choose to stay or leave. Forced immobility—being unable to migrate even when conditions worsen—is just as critical as forced displacement. It often happens when vulnerable communities lack the capital needed to migrate. He urged that improving access to climate information and services will properly align subjective experiences with the objective realities of climate change.
The modern narrative around migration tends to divide migrants by motive. Climate migrants, who move for a combination of reasons, need a distinct legal recognition. Any legal framework for climate migrants must be flexible, context-dependent, and crafted through dialogue and cooperation to ensure it meets the specific needs of affected populations.
Legal Rights are Empowering Tools: HRH Princess Esmeralda of Belgium
Princess Esmeralda of Belgium concluded the session by advocating for a legal framework and protection for climate migrants. She encouraged the audience to ensure inclusive governance while also upholding human rights.
The challenges faced by climate migrants are immense, and the need for legal recognition and protection is urgent. As highlighted at COP29, securing legal rights for climate migrants not only ensures their dignity but also empowers them to rebuild their lives and contribute to local adaptation efforts. Friendship’s work in Bangladesh serves as a powerful example of how inclusive, sustainable interventions can help vulnerable communities adapt to climate change. Only through international cooperation we can ensure that climate migrants are treated with the rights and respect they deserve.
