Professors Elizabeth Ferris and Anne Richard Contribute to Refugees International Task Force Report for Biden Administration on Climate Migration
On February 4, President Biden issued an Executive Order on Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration.[1]
Although most of the EO focuses on implementation of the current U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, Section 6 of the EO requests that the National Security Adviser deliver a report to the President within 180 days that includes “options for protection and resettlement of individuals displaced directly or indirectly from climate change” as well as options for policy measures on a range of related objectives. This directive presents a historic opportunity to advance U.S. policy and global efforts. While climate change is increasingly recognized as a driver of global migration, governments, international organizations, and civil society have yet to develop comprehensive measures that 1) effectively target at-risk communities that may want to adapt, 2) ensure that those on the move do so safely and with dignity, and 3) enable those who need to cross borders to obtain adequate protection and respect for their basic rights.
Eager to encourage the Biden administration to seize this opportunity, Refugees International assembled a Task Force of distinguished stakeholders with particular experience and deep knowledge on these and related issues. Task Force recommendations are organized around key challenges relevant to prevention of forced displacement and protection and respect for the rights of those who must move in the face of a changing climate. Though Task Force members have endorsed and are responsible for findings in this report, the analysis and recommendations build on a large body of work from dozens of official institutions, non-governmental organizations, and civil society in the United States and around the world.