The United Nations sided with New Zealand courts in rejecting one climate asylum seeker's case, but made clear that other climate refugees must not be sent away.
One asylum seeker's failed bid to flee his home country due to the effects of climate change has potentially set the course for countless more climate refugees to be granted protection around the world.
Teitiota had argued that the impacts of climate change were already taking effect, with overcrowding on the island of South Tarawa where he lived, leading to land disputes and difficulties accessing safe drinking water. However, the HRC did effectively put countries around the world on notice by recognizing that when the effects of climate change do pose a threat to an individual's life, that individual should not be turned away if they seek asylum in another country.
"Without robust national and international efforts," the committee warned,"the effects of climate change in receiving states may expose individuals to a violation of their rights under articles 6 or 7 of the Covenant, thereby triggering the non-refoulement obligations of sending states."
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