Climate Change and Displacement

Displacement of approximately one hundred thousand individuals by Superstorm Sandy reminded us that climate change-induced human dislodgment is not a future phenomenon and that no one is immune from the effects of climate change. Climatic migration is taking place presently worldwide. Increasing numbers of people displaced by climate change caution us that the dilemma of climate refugees is a well-substantiated concern of today not tomorrow. In 2011, large-scale flooding and landslides affected more than one million people in the Philippines. Rainy seasons impacted more than 2.8 million Colombians. Mudslides and floods left sixty-nine thousand people homeless in Columbia in its first rainy season of the year 2011. In Australia, thousands have been forced from their homes by the floodwaters. More than twenty million people were displaced after massive floods in Pakistan in 2010. This course will explore how law and policy can address the problem of climate change and displacement and discuss the current and future effects that climate change may have on large portions of the world population.

Open to lawyers, judges, interested professionals, and select students from around the world June 16-20, 2014. Registration for this course is now closed.

Instructor: Les Stein (1 credit; 6:00-9:00 pm at the Fred French Building in Manhattan)