Global Governance of the Marginalized: Sovereignty, Migration, and Climate Change
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26422/RPA.2025.0402.decaKeywords:
environmental migration, SIDS, global governanceAbstract
The rise in sea levels caused by climate change and the possible total flooding of the territory of some Small Island Developing States raises several questions concerning the migration of their populations to other States, the continuity of their existence without territory, and the actions of the international community to address this issue. This study analyzes the global governance mechanisms reflected from COP26 to COP29, related to climate migration for this group of States. Likewise, it examines the case of the Falepili Union Treaty, signed in November 2023 between Australia and Tuvalu, through which the parties sought to regulate matters concerning the displacement of the Tuvaluan population due to climate-related issues. The findings reveal a structural paradox in climate governance: while international organizations formally recognize migration due to climate change, they do not provide binding mechanisms to protect the territorial integrity of SIDS against existential risks. Finally, in order to strengthen global governance, the establishment of a global framework that incorporates international standards anchored in the rights of vulnerable populations and the duty of international cooperation is proposed, given that it constitutes a matter of global survival.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Ángeles Soledad Decarlos
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