Climate Change as a Driver of Covid-19: The Protection of Refugees in the Post Covid-19 World

doi:10.7176/jlpg/118-04

Abstract

As the world is grappling with the chaos brought about by COVID-19, coupled with already existing climate change situation, the global refugee crisis is predicted to worsen in the coming years. The impacts of climate change contribute to the increased vulnerability of disadvantaged communities to COVID-19. Exposure to environmental pollutants is strongly associated with increased risk and severity of COVID-19, as well as to pre-existing health conditions that predispose to worse health outcomes in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2.Meanwhile, to mitigate the global refugee crisis during and in the post Covid 19 era, policymakers in different countries and international organizations have implemented various measures for refugee’s protection in a form of relief packages to mapping protocols.The paper examines what COVID-19 and climate change crises reveal about the prevailing and anticipated challenges of refugees and displaced persons across the world and the capacity and limits of international law protection to them.The paper further explores how the global refugees’ challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic could be a source for a breakthrough policy formulation with a holistic multidisciplinary approach for tackling the looming climate refugees challenge. Keywords: Covid 19. Climate Change, Refugees, International Law, Protection. DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/118-04 Publication date: February 28 th 2022

Highlights

The covid-19 pandemic created an initial drop in greenhouse gas emissions as millions of people worldwide stayed home to prevent the spread of the virus
Evidence that people in polluted areas are far more likely to die from COVID-19 than those living in cleaner areas provides compelling rationale to enforce, and strengthen, environmental pollution regulations, and for humans globally to embrace lifestyle and policy changes that mitigate climate change to the greatest extent possible
Refugees and displaced people usually tend to have a higher rate of underlying physical and mental health conditions due to the impacts of war, disease and famine, making them more susceptible to be infected to COVID-19

Summary

Introduction

The covid-19 pandemic created an initial drop in greenhouse gas emissions as millions of people worldwide stayed home to prevent the spread of the virus.

Results

Conclusion