The Legislation Reform Portfolio, led by FightForTuvalu’s Director, James Dimas, seeks to collaborate with the United Nations, international governments, and lawmaking bodies to create a legislative framework that protects all individuals displaced by climate change. Mass migration due to climate change is an imminent reality for Tuvalu, yet under the current UN Refugee Convention, Tuvaluans will not qualify for refugee or asylum status. This means no country will be legally required to accept them, leaving them displaced and unprotected in the eyes of the law.
How has this problem not yet been addressed? It’s understandable that accepting large numbers of refugees can be costly for nations, and this may be a key reason why action to reform the convention has been slow. However, without immediate reform, this will lead to the inevitable downfall of all nations vulnerable to climate displacement.