In 1990, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that massive human migration could perhaps be the most serious consequence of climate change. Different studies have estimated that migration due to climate change could affect between 200 million and 1 billion people by the year 2050.
What means should be adopted confront climate change migration? Why talk about migrants and not climate change refugees? How can the human rights of climate change migrants be guaranteed? How can developed countries compensate climate change migrants? This working group will analyze one of the least-discussed topics of climate change negotiations: that of climate migrants.
World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth 
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March 9, 2010 at 11:59 am
Michele Roberts
In the U.S. we have hundreds of thousands of internally displaced citizens, now 4-1/2 years after Hurricane Katrina. I hope that you consider displacement issues in developed nations also. This severly impacts, people of color, women and the poor.
April 14, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Brad Paterson
One thing that I believe addresses both climate refugees and climate change is technology available that reduces the effects of climate change and can provided food security to those nutritionally affected by global warming. I’m refering to solar cookers and efficient wood-burning stoves. These reduce the amount of black carbon emitted into the air. Black carbon from residential solid fuel use contributes over 18% to black carbon in the atmosphere. It also has an effect 2-3 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Plainly stated: it is a serious contributor to global warming and climate change.
But there is hope. Black Carbon’s lifespan in the atmosphere is only days. This means that if we can significantly reduce the amount of black carbon in the atmosphere, it will have a direct and immediate impact on global warming. The technology exists, and it has been used for years in developing countries. We in the developing world are taking measures to make differences. We can minimize the effects and reduce the number of climate migrants and refugees. Let us, as a human race, work together for this cause.
Thank you
Brad Paterson
April 14, 2010 at 10:00 pm
sabrina
I would recommend to follow the example of Common Ground of New Orleans. They cut the bureacracy and focused on getting the work done despite the obstacles that was in place. Malik Rahim a former Black Panther led for the process using the past experience of being a former Black Panther. My question is was this term of displaced people addressed at all in Copehagen. I can certainly guess the USA did not. In an earlier email that I had sent said there is no program put in place yet with the United Nations and so that is what we can demand that the United Nations and other countires give recognition of the term climate/environmental refugees. Does the Human Rights Commission recognize the term? There should be special reports and/or Special Rapporteurs to ensure accountability. They should not be lumped with just the terms refugees and migration. someone had mentioned this earlier within the Working Groups and I certainly agree with them.
A friend just relayed to me a horrifying that had happened in his country of Panama of a shark in a waterway of no bigger than the with of a sidewalk had attacked a man which gives the example that the animals are not within their domain and going out or more inland to see food. In other words not just people are refugees but animals are also and the dangers that can happen if they are out of their domain.
April 20, 2010 at 7:05 am
sabrina green
Statement of Leonard Peltier Pleas please include
Monday, April 19, 2010
Leonard Peltier to the climate conference attendees (Bolivia)
April 20, 2010
My warmest regards to our host, Bolivian President Evo Morales.
To Presidents Rafael Correa, Daniel Ortega, Hugo Chavez, and other esteemed Heads of State; national representatives; and all concerned citizens in attendance at the People’s Conference on Climate Change: I send warm greetings and thank you for your participation.
Today, environmentalists are often portrayed as marginal intellects and labeled “lunatic fringe,” rather than progressive thinkers with the ability to foresee the true cost of destructive corporate practices. I applaud your intent to ignore your detractors and admire your efforts to refine the proposals from the Copenhagen meetings—in particular, towards the creation of a world tribunal for climate issues and a global referendum on environmental choices. I know the calculus of this work is difficult to solve. Listening to the voices of so many to create a common solution is a unique and difficult challenge, but also a special opportunity. I offer prayers for your success.
My name is Leonard Peltier. I am a citizen of the Dakota/Lakota and Anishinabe Nations of North America. Like many of you, I am a tribal person. As Aboriginal peoples, we have always struggled to live in harmony with the Earth. We have maintained our vigilance and bear witness to a blatant disregard for our planet and sustainable life ways. We’ve seen that the pursuit of maximized profits through globalization, privatization, and corporate personhood has become a plague that destroys life. We know that it is not only the land that suffers as a result of these practices. The people most closely associated with the Earth suffer first and most.
The enormous pressures of corporate profits have intruded on our tribal lands, but also on our ancient cultures—even to the extent that many Indigenous cultures have virtually disappeared. Just as our relatives in the animal kingdom are threatened, many more cultures are on the brink of extinction.
In America, we are at ground zero of this war for survival and most often have been left with no mechanism to fight this globalization monster. On those occasions when we are forced into a defensive posture, we are disappeared, tortured, killed, and imprisoned. I myself have served over 34 years in prison for resisting an invasion intent on violating our treaties and stealing our land for the precious resource of uranium. The same desire for uranium has decimated and poisoned the Diné Nation of Arizona and New Mexico. The quest for land for dumping and hiding the toxic waste from various nuclear processes has caused a war to be waged on the Shoshone people of Nevada, as well. These are just a few examples of what “progress” has meant for our peoples. As many can attest, the same struggle is occurring throughout Central and South America. While my defense of my tribal lands made me a political prisoner, I know I’m not at all unique. This struggle has created countless other prisoners of conscience—not to mention prisoners of poor health and loss of life way, as well as victims of guilt and rage.
To live as we were meant to live is our first right. To live free of the fear of forced removal, destroyed homelands, poisoned water, and loss of habitat, food sources, and our overall life way is our righteous demand. We, therefore, continue our struggle to survive in the face of those who deny climate change and refuse to curb corporate powers.
It is time for all our voices to be heard.
It is time we all listen, too—or else our collective Mother will dramatically and forcefully unstop our ears.
The Indigenous Peoples have been the keepers of knowledge and wisdom—long ago bringing forth foods, medicines, and other products from which the world population still benefits. The loss of our lands and cultures, therefore, is a loss for the entire human family. We are all citizens of Earth and this planet is our only home. What affects one, affects us all. We are all interconnected and our fates are intertwined.
We can indefinitely survive here, but only if we work together to adopt sustainable models for living responsibly. We cannot continue to destroy Creator’s work, or allow others to do so, in the belief that there will be no consequences.
I pray for a new age—a new understanding, consciousness, and way of being—a new path for all the peoples of the world.
Aho! Mitakuye Oyasin!
(Thank you to all my relations. We are all related.)
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,
Leonard Peltier 89637-132
USP-Lewisburg
US Penitentiary
PO Box 1000
Lewisburg, PA 17837
USA
Contact:
LP-DOC – PO Box 7488 – Fargo, ND 58106
(701) 235-2206 (Phone); (701) 235-5045 (Fax)
http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info
contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info
April 20, 2010 at 7:20 am
sabrina green
I sent this before a multiple time however I do not see it included-sabrina
FAIS gave a very vital and necessary presentation at the Labor
Exchange in Tijuana Mexico in December 2009. The explained the migrant
workers including those defined as climate refugees. They said there
is an annual migrant festival and their desire to create a sanctuary
in Mexico in Michacan near Guadalajara. Did you know that every hour
of the day 1 migrant worker dies trying to cross the border? FAIS
wants to have a monument to those that are killed.
FAIS (Frente Amplio de Izquierda Social) Martin Lopez- Comision
Ejecutiva email:martinlopezo@hotmail.com
Patriotismo 77, Col. Morelos, Morelia Michoacan Mexico 001-443-3-26-57-70
http://faismich.spaces.live.mx
Because of Capitalism and Imperialism the numbers on Climate Refuges
are really not documented because it is not a priority of the
industrialized countries. however it is a major critical problem that
needs to addressed and recognised. Global warming and drastic climate
changes are affecting people especially those that are forced to leave
their habitants if they can but unfortunately countries including my
own the United states do not see this as an acceptable reason for
allowing people in legally- for example the extreme emergency of Haiti
where their people have came due to the severe conditions of the earth
quake and are being detained/deported despite being injured and in
need of medical aid. FAIS documents it and includes within their
presentations as you can see of their websites. Does the United
Nations include and more importantly do anything to address it; I do
not think so NO and especially not effectively for the millions that
are affected by it.
I would like to include the issue of Somalia. Other countries are
seizing the land and the water of Somalia as their domain for their
own selfish of the fishes and polluting the waters with toxins
affecting the people of Somalia but yet own their people take actions
to prevent and seizing their ships they-the Somalians are deemed as
pirates within their own land and waters. A good example of
capitalism, imperialism and greed.
A quick answer to address this would be for allow those that are
Climate Refugees within countries that the Climate Refugees go to. The
immigration laws to permit this would need to be lenient and changed
to allow this.
The United Nations and others define Climate Refugees as Environmental
Refugees . This leads us to include victims of war because of the the
chemicals/toxin that are used. Immigration laws in some countries
allows the asylum of these type of refugees but not classified as the
termed Environmental Refugees which are in the since are Climate
Refugees.
We must note that there are some that can not escape or migrate from
their conditions such as the Native Americans of North Americas that
are on reservations. A larger number would be those that experience
environmental neglect to the toxins /chemicals that are vast amounts
in the water, air and grounds/lands of their environment.
There needs to be a no tolerance of chemicals/toxins of those used in
wars as we know there are numbers in the millions that are affected
and have to escape and definitely are to be included to be termed as
Climate refugees.
Another larger number that I would like to include here are those that
are affected from the chemicals/toxins of cigarettes. A quick remedy
would be of biodegradable cigarettes to include the cigarette
butt/filter. There is only a pending patent to the company Green Butts
LLC but please there must be a demand that cigarette manufacturers
must make cigarettes to be biodegradable.
Thank you so much for including this in the Working Group and please
as submission to others of the CCMPCC Climate Change Conference of
Bolivia- from Sabrina Green freethemove9mumia@gmail.com