Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-5nwft Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-08T15:10:34.346Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

14 - The Role of Environmental Disasters in Asylum Cases: Do German Courts Take Disasters into Account?

from Part III - Regional and Local Perspectives and Solutions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Simon Behrman
Affiliation:
University of Warwick
Avidan Kent
Affiliation:
University of East Anglia
Get access

Summary

This chapter investigates the current degree of protection granted by German courts for persons displaced in the context of environmental disasters and climate change. The research shows that German courts address the situation of persons displaced in the context of natural disasters when evaluating a ban on deportation according to Art. 3 ECHR. Especially with regards to three countries – Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia – the German courts analysed the effects of natural disasters in a very detailed manner. While not always regarded as a conclusive element on their own, the natural disasters seem to support requests for a ban on deportation. The German cases are examples of how protection might be possible outside the Refugee Convention. They tie in well with the HRC’ Teitiota v. New Zealand decision and show that human rights law can play a significant role. In spite of the lack of a specific legal framework to address persons displaced due to natural disasters and climate change-related harm, we should not ignore the legal instruments that already exist. This chapter attempts to increase the general awareness of Art. 3 ECHR non-refoulement for people displaced due to natural disasters.

Type
Chapter
Information
Climate Refugees
Global, Local and Critical Approaches
, pp. 261 - 276
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×