10 August 2005Green Left Weekly
Citizens Guide to Climate RefugeesPublished by Friends of the Earth AustraliaDownload at <http://www.foe.org.au/download/CitizensGuide.pdf>
It is now widely accepted in the scientific community that climate change will lead to both incremental and rapid ecological change and disruption. The impacts of climate change, which include increased droughts, desertification and sea level rise, along with the more frequent occurrence of extreme weather events, will lead to an increased number of climate refugees around the world.
Friends of the Earth Australia commemorated World Refugee Day in 2005 by publishing a Citizens Guide to Climate Refugees.
This publication gives you all the basic facts you need on climate change: greenhouse gas emissions, why people would become climate refugees and how many and where are they likely to come from, and most importantly what we can do about it.
Climate change is already having disastrous effects on humans around the world, as seen in the tiny island nation of Tuvalu, which is only five metres above sea-level. As Tuvaluans have advocated, disastrous consequences of climate change will only be avoided if world leaders accept their global responsibility for implementing policies that will restrict greenhouse gas emissions.
This guide is specifically written for an Australian audience, however many of the issues discussed and actions we can take are applicable for concerned organisations and individuals across the world. Get pro-active, download the guide and do your bit towards climate justice!
