Shifting responsibility and denying justice: New Zealand’s contentious approach to Pacific climate mobilities

Abstract

It is increasingly evident that climate change is intersecting in complex ways with the more traditional drivers of migration, such as poverty and conflict. Yet there remains a startling lack of international agreement on how to address the issue. This article examines the problem climate change-related migration poses in terms of international responsibility and provides a review of two approaches to addressing this challenge. First, the idea that migration in the context of climate change requires the development of a new international protection agreement and, second, the argument that migration should be managed and mitigated through in situ adaptation and development programmes. These approaches differ in terms of how they understand the relationship between migration and climate change and thus differ also in terms of how they situate responsibility and address issues of climate justice. This paper explores these differences and outlines the benefits and challenges of both. Following this, we turn to the case of New Zealand’s immigration tribunal appeals involving claims for climate-refugee status and look at how in situ adaptation, development narratives and arbitrary risk thresholds have been used to legitimise the denial of these claims. Throughout the article, we ask to what extent these approaches acknowledge climate justice, and we conclude by looking at ways that climate (mobility) justice might be better incorporated into solutions that prioritise the needs of migrants in the context of rapid climate change.

Indigenous, ethnic, and racial diversity and climate justice: New Zealand’s climate adaptation policies and policy approaches

“…The challenges of climate-induced mobility (migration) and their implications for justice have also been examined in the context of New Zealand. These challenges associated with climate-induced mobility, such as the denial of climate refugee status and the narratives surrounding in situ adaptation (Farbotko et al 2022, Neef andBenge 2022), reflect issues of distributional justice. The question of how climate justice concerns in the context of climate-induced mobility can form the basis for broader social mobilisations, cutting across regional, class, race and gender divides, has also been raised (Newell et al 2021).…”

“…The question of how climate justice concerns in the context of climate-induced mobility can form the basis for broader social mobilisations, cutting across regional, class, race and gender divides, has also been raised (Newell et al 2021). Furthermore, the role of Pacific diaspora communities in New Zealand in alleviating the impacts of future climate mobility from Pacific Island countries has been highlighted (Neef and Benge 2022). Yates et al (2022) examine attitudes towards climate migrants in New Zealand and the role of climate change beliefs and immigration attitudes.…”

“There's so much more to that sinking island!”—Restorying migration from Kiribati and Tuvalu to Aotearoa New Zealand

“…Rather than offering dignified avenues to migration, Aotearoa New Zealand maintains a dominant focus on controlling its borders. The New Zealand Government sought to implement a targeted climate change visa in 2017, but this was dropped after dialogue with its Pacific neighbours about their preference to remain (Neef & Benge, 2022). The Government's updated approach supports in situ adaptation alongside options for expanding migration pathways from the Pacific (e.g., Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2021).…”