Beyond displacement: Examining the link between climate change and statelessness

By Olivia Karp
This essay was written by Olivia Karp at The Global Movement Against Statelessness (GMAS). GMAS is a content partner of Global Voices. This post is part of Global Voices’ July 2026 Spotlight series, “Statelessness.” This series offers insight into the issue of statelessness and how it hinders people’s freedom of movement, educational opportunities, political access, and more. You can support this coverage by donating here.
Tropical storm Sendong struck the Philippines on December 15, 2011, causing severe flooding in Cagayan and Iligan City. The storm displaced between 300,000 and 400,000 people. Some residents remained, while others sought refuge in nearby cities. The disaster resulted in widespread injuries, homelessness, and hardship.
Pacific Islands such as Tuvalu and Fiji are also vulnerable to climate-related disasters. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) estimates that at least 50,000 Pacific Islanders are displaced each year due to climate change. These islands face risks of statelessness and loss of citizenship due to environmental impacts. The relationship between climate displacement and statelessness is complex. This article argues that climate-related displacement increases the risk of statelessness, yet this issue remains underexplored in discussions of climate and migration.
What is displacement in the context of climate change and statelessness?
Climate displacement and statelessness result from extreme environmental changes that can cause displacement, territorial loss, and legal exclusion. Climate change intensifies these risks by threatening livelihoods, homes, and national identity, particularly as Pacific island nations face sea-level rise and inundation.
Climate researchers Jane McAdam and Vikram Kolmannskog explain that those displaced by climate change and seeking asylum for climate-related reasons would not be recognized under international refugee law because there is no concrete definition of a climate refugee.
In the past, claims related to climate change have been rejected by New Zealand and Australia, and individuals from Kiribati and Tuvalu have been unsuccessful in making such claims on environmental grounds. Disappearing states do not automatically render their citizens stateless; a person is legally stateless only if no state recognizes them as a national. Statelessness law offers limited protection, but treaties may provide some rights if a state ceases to exist and its people lose their nationality.
Further work is needed to develop new frameworks and approaches that can enhance protection against statelessness.
Why this issue is overlooked
The risk of statelessness compounds the challenges faced by displaced individuals. Stateless people lack recognized nationality and often encounter barriers to education, healthcare, employment, and political participation. Climate change can intensify these risks by destroying countries and forcing people to relocate. Despite these challenges, climate displacement and statelessness receive less attention than other humanitarian issues, leading to gaps in protection and policy. Some scholars advocate for stronger international cooperation and legal frameworks to address these overlapping vulnerabilities.
These issues often develop gradually, rather than through sudden crises that attract media and political attention. Governments and international organizations typically prioritize immediate emergencies, such as armed conflict and natural disasters, over the slower impacts of climate change on displacement and statelessness. Legal and political complexities related to sovereignty, migration, and citizenship further hinder comprehensive protection for affected populations. Greater research and awareness are needed on climate displacement and statelessness.
What needs to change
Addressing climate change, displacement, and statelessness requires stronger legal protections and increased global cooperation. Current refugee law does not recognize those displaced by climate change, leaving many without legal status or protection.
New international frameworks should recognize individuals displaced by climate change and those at risk of statelessness, providing access to citizenship and safe resettlement. Governments should invest in climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, and planned relocation to protect affected communities and their cultural identity. Policies must also include gender-sensitive approaches to address the specific vulnerabilities faced by women and girls during displacement in the global community for long-term climate action to raise awareness and spur action on climate change, displacement, and statelessness, as these issues become an ever-growing concern in our world today.
As climate change intensifies, it is essential to educate others and raise awareness about its impacts, including displacement and statelessness. Communities affected by climate change are leading efforts to address legal barriers and promote effective responses. Now is the time to work together to create meaningful change.