Climate Migration and the Conundrum of the Rights of Migrants: An Analysis of Multiple Complexities in the Journey of African Migrants

Wed, September 23 | 11:30 AM EDT–12:30 PM EDT
Topic: International, Legal | Knowledge Level: Advanced

Adeleye Lewis Olatunji, MSc, MA, PhD(c) and Olugbenga Oke-Samuel, PhD, LLM

Beyond small island and flood-prone areas, different regions of the world carry the burden of climate change. Loss of land for subsistence, scrambling for limited resources, severe weather conditions, and desertification, among other environmental concerns, have created a new category of migrants called climate or environmental migrants. Victims of climate migration face complex exploitative challenges; including human trafficking. The category, however, does not fall within the popular definition of refugees as a people that “leave their homes because of fear of persecution, generalized violence or events or seriously disturbing public order.” Across the globe, there is an emerging jurisprudence about the existence of this class of people called climate migrants and environmental refugees. For instance, the Fulani herdsmen crisis in Nigeria, drought-induced displacement of people over resource conflicts in Mali and Ethiopia, and mudslides in some parts of Uganda are forcing people to flee from their homelands for the security of their lives and search for resources in other parts of the continents. Despite their forced migration status, climate migrants are not captured under the existing international legal framework for the protection of refugees. The presentation speaks to vulnerabilities confronted by climate migrants, explores the existing positions of scholars, the existing legal framework on refugees, international human rights laws, soft laws, and courts on climate change-related migrations. Together with the prevailing realities in Africa and other less-developed nations, the presentation argues for the recognition of climate migrants as refugees and the need to promote social justice for climate refugees.


Presentation Objectives
  • Discuss the vulnerabilities of human trafficking for climate migrants
  • Identify trajectories of climate change, violence, and displacements
  • Explore the existing positions of scholars on climate migration and climate refugees
  • Argue for the recognition of climate migrants as refugees
About the Presenters
Adeleye Lewis Olatunji, MSc, MA, PhD(c)

Adeleye Lewis Olatunji is a researcher, trainer, and a humanitarian responder with almost two decades of law enforcement experience in human trafficking and transnational studies. Lewis is a doctoral student at the department of Political-Science and International Relations with a focus on transnationalism, border security, and national security.


Olugbenga Oke-Samuel, PhD, LLM

Dr. Olugbenga Oke-Samuel is a senior lecturer, Head of Department, and Law Clinic coordinator at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria. He is a member of the Governing Board of Network of University Legal Aid Institutions (NULAI NIGERIA), the umbrella body for Clinical Legal Education in Nigeria.