Climate change is in creasingly driving displacement through sea-level rise, extreme weath er events and environmental degradation, often in already fragile con texts. This panel explores how law, policy and international responsi bility are evolving in response to the climate crisis. Participation is possible online and in person at VU Amsterdam.
Beyond the 2025 ICJ Advisory Opinion
International pro tection frameworks have not fully adapted to the reality of climate d isplacement. Current refugee law was not designed with climate impact s in mind, leaving many people displaced by environmental harm outsid e clear legal protection.
However, recent international develop ments, most notably the 2025 Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), have sparked new discussion. Can broader lega l principles, such as non-refoulement (the rule that states should not return people to serious harm), offer protection in climat e-related cases?
In this edition of the SDG Academy, the Amster dam Sustainability Institute (ASI) and the Global Migration Hub bring together experts to examine the intersection of climate modeling and international law. We will discuss when adaptation reaches its limit s, making displacement unavoidable, and whether the "Court has spoken " clearly enough to establish new customary international law.
What do these legal and ecological shifts mean for the future of inte rnational protection and global responsibility? Our panel of speakers will provide expert analysis and scientific background information.< /p>
The se ssion will be moderated by Dr. Janna Wessels (Amster dam Center for Migration and Refugee Law VU), who will guide the pane l through the changing landscape of policy and international responsi bility. These short presentations will be followed by a Q&A sessi on with the audience.
This SDG Academy will be taking place in- person and online on Teams. For those based in and around Amsterdam, join us at the Green Office VU from 16:00 onwards on May 27th.
DESCRIPTION: Climate change is increasingly driving displacement throu gh sea-level rise, extreme weather events and environmental degradati on, often in already fragile contexts. This panel explores how law, p olicy and international responsibility are evolving in response to th e climate crisis. Participation is possible online and in person at V U Amsterdam. Beyond the 2025 ICJ Advisory OpinionInt ernational protection frameworks have not fully adapted to the realit y of climate displacement. Current refugee law was not designed with climate impacts in mind, leaving many people displaced by environment al harm outside clear legal protection.However, recent international developments, most notably the 2025 Advisory Opinion from the Interna tional Court of Justice (ICJ), have sparked new discussion. Can broad er legal principles, such as non-refoulement (the rule that states should not return people to serious harm), offer protection in climate-related cases?In this edition of the SDG Academy, the Amster dam Sustainability Institute (ASI) and the Global Migration Hub bring together experts to examine the intersection of climate modeling and international law. We will discuss when adaptation reaches its limit s, making displacement unavoidable, and whether the "Court has spoken " clearly enough to establish new customary international law.What do these legal and ecological shifts mean for the future of internation al protection and global responsibility? Our panel of speakers will p rovide expert analysis and scientific background information.