ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at international and regional approaches to the governance of climate change mobility from the perspective of assessing the ability of existing mobility regimes to meet the needs and uphold the rights of those who are moving because of the effects of climate change. The present systems for the governance of international mobility are largely based on the motivation for movement, distinguishing between involuntary or forced movement, on the one hand, and voluntary migration, on the other. If individuals are forced to leave their countries of origin because they can no longer live there due to the effects of climate change, then perhaps the most applicable normative framework is the international refugee regime. While the international refugee system applies only to those who have crossed an international border, far larger numbers of people are displaced within the borders of their own countries. These are known as internally displaced persons (IDPs).
