Environmental refugees: an analysis of the nature, dynamics and trends in Southern Africa

English:The phenomenon of environmental refugees is currently a largely unrecognised and relatively unstudied trend in forced migration. Much of the current literature and research on forced migration has focused almost exclusively on political factors causing refugee movements and the impact that political refugees are having on host areas and the international community. Likewise, much of the policy decisions and international treatment of forced migration are approached solely from the perspective of political circumstances, with little or no cognisance taken of environmental factors. Environmental degradation IS, however, setting the scene for the displacement of millions of people in the near future. The aim of the study was to determine the nature and extent of environmental refugee movements, both globally and in the Southern African region. Due to the relatively unexplored nature of environmental refugees the study was mainly exploratory and descriptive. Firstly, the study explored the nature of environmental refugees and specifically focused on the factors that influence people to become environmental refugees. While environmental refugees leave their homelands as a result of serious and life-threatening environmental degradation, these environmental problems seldom developed in isolation. They are the result of a complex range of social, political and economic factors. These factors, ranging fr0111 population growth, urbanisation and poverty to political instability were each explored to determine the role they play in bringing about the environmental degradation that eventually leads to forced environmental migration. These driving forces were explored and described generally and specifically within the Southern African context. The impact that environmental refugees are having on host countries and the international community were also explored. Environmental refugees, due to their undocumented nature, add to the social, political and economic problems in host countries. These problems range from conflicts between host populations and refugees, economic pressure placed on health and welfare services, to social problems such as rising crime rates and housing problems. Again the impact was explored generally and specifically in the Southern African context. Attention was also given to the international and local policy framework surrounding refugee issues. It was determined that the current international policy framework is insufficient in dealing with new categories of forced migration, such as environmental refugees. As a result, most host countries have refugee policies that are unsuitable for the inclusion of environmental refugees. Issues that must be taken into consideration when including environmental refugees into policy decisions are explored and lastly, some strategies to deal with forced environmental migration are suggested. Tt is proposed that reliable and accurate data on environmental refugees be gathered so that informed policy decisions can be made. Furthermore, it is proposed that the international instruments guiding refugee policy are adapted to include environmental factors in determining refugee status. More importantly, however, is the prevention of further environmental degradation and it is proposed that this be addressed by giving attention to the social, political and economic forces that lead to environmental degradation, while at the same time promoting sustainable development practices.