Contested terminology: Defining climate change displaced persons through mobility theory

Abstract

The changing conditions of the world under climate change are estimated to contribute to an increased rate of migration. There is a lack of international legal and prescriptive agreements to support the populations that will experience displacement, primarily due to dispute over how to define the group. Several valuable attempts have been made to address this oversight in the past, but the evolving discussion surrounding climate migration requires a contemporary edition to reflect a multicausal conception of movement. In response to this gap, this thesis aims to provide a definition for those displaced by climate change related causes, herein referred to as Climate Change Displaced Persons (CCDP). It will be formulated through a lens of mobility theory and mobility justice and act in accordance with existing legal instruments. The resulting definition could serve as the basis for policy development on the local, regional, and international level to address the protection of CCDPs. The evident limitation of this definition is the contradiction between pursuing policy tools and the growing segment of mobility theorists that argue against the problematization of migration through policy. In response, it will be argued that the resulting product serves as a middle ground, providing a necessary policy tool to form the basis of problem-solving solutions to mitigate human harm while simultaneously integrating the more radical basis of mobility theory to provide inroads for a critical long-term approach.