Climate-Induced Displacement and Human Security in the Least Developed Small Island States
V. Intpolsec International Security Studies Congress: Multidisciplinary Approaches in Security Studies , Antalya, Türkiye, 29 - 30 Nisan 2026, ss.17, (Özet Bildiri)
- Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
- Basıldığı Şehir: Antalya
- Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.17
- Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
- Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Climate change poses an existential threat to the least developed small island countries. Their fragile geographical structure and weak economic, institutional, and technological capacities significantly constrain these countries’ ability to adapt to current changes. Therefore, direct and indirect effects such as sea level rise, extreme weather events, and coastal erosion go beyond limiting livelihoods; they destroy living spaces by disrupting territorial integrity and create irreversible consequences for future generations. Under these conditions, international migration is no longer an option for these communities but has become a strategy of “last resort”.
However, the limited opportunities for migration and the process itself bring new and multidimensional challenges. While immigration admission criteria and eligibility requirements further restrict migration opportunities, family members who cannot meet these conditions continue to be exposed to climate-related risks. Furthermore, communities that have maintained traditional ways of life for centuries also struggle to adapt to different social and cultural environments. The absence of a binding international legal framework on climate-induced displacement further deepens insecurity at different stages of the process.
In this context, this study argues that addressing the climate change-migration nexus through a human security approach allows for a more comprehensive assessment of country-specific risks. In making this assessment, it emphasizes the need to rethink the scope of the concept in light of current climate risks, based on the definition of human security in the United Nations Human Development Report. This study discusses the feasibility and effectiveness of migration and resettlement as an adaptation strategy for the least developed small island countries such as Tuvalu and Kiribati, providing examples of the challenges and adaptation efforts faced by communities that may be forced to abandon their habitats due to the impacts of climate change across different geographical contexts.