The Invisible Refugee: Climate Displacement and the Legal Void

Critical Policy Gaps in the International Protection of Environmental Migrants

Abstract

As global environmental degradation accelerates, the phenomenon of "climate migration" has emerged as a significant threat to regional stability and human rights. However, current international law, centered on the 1951 Refugee Convention, fails to recognize individuals displaced by environmental catastrophe as "refugees." This article critically examines the legal and policy voids that leave millions of displaced persons without international protection. Focusing on Canadian and global perspectives, the research explores the necessity of a "Global Compact for Environmental Displacement." The study argues that failing to integrate climate resilience into migration policy creates systemic social vulnerabilities. This contribution to CJCC advocates for a radical restructuring of humanitarian law to meet the challenges of the Anthropocene.