ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the application of international human rights standards to the protection of vulnerable individuals, families and communities faced with the need to undertake adaptation to the negative impacts of climate change. After setting out four key premises regarding the relationship between climate change, migration and human rights, the chapter examines the concepts of vulnerability, state obligations to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, and human rights-based approaches to climate change. It also argues that states need to establish procedures in conjunction with local affected communities to determine which measures can and should be taken to strengthen their resilience so that the right to stay is an effective and meaningful option, rather than simply a right to be poor and hungry. Applying a human rights-based framework to climate-induced migration means in practice that all actions regarding both migration and non-migration decisions fully respect, protect and fulfil international human rights law and principles, not least the principle of human dignity.
