The main directions of development of the international legal mechanism for regulating environmental migration

Abstract

The article analyzes directions of development of the international legal mechanism for regulating environmental migration. Two directions were described. The first one involves the extension of the 1951 UN Convention on the Legal Status of Refugees to environmental migrants who have left their permanent places of residence due to an environmental degradation caused by natural or man-made disasters or negative impacts of industrial and economic activities. The second way to create an international legal mechanism for regulating environmental migration and protecting environmental migrants is to develop and adopt a new international agreement governing actions of the international community aimed to protect environmental migrants. The analysis allows for the conclusion that the first direction seems to be the most optimal due to the similar status of asylum seekers and people who have left their places of permanent residence as a result of natural disasters or industrial accidents, environmental and climatic conditions.