On Climate Migration and International Trade

Abstract     
This article provides a legal analysis of climate migration and examines the potential impact of such migration on international trade. It is generally accepted that climate change will have widespread impacts and that people must be ready to adapt to those impacts. One of the ways people are likely to adapt is by migrating (i.e., climate migration), and in spite of the fact that this has become one of the most widely discussed areas of climate change adaptation, there is, as yet, no solid grasp of its potential scope. This article analyzes first the legal options for climate migrants and then provides an analysis of the potential link between climate migration and international trade.

Keywords: climate migration, international trade, climate change adaptation, international legal obligations, public morals, WTO general exceptions