Climate change-related displacement of coastal and island peoples: human rights implications

en years ago […] we recognized that climate change was the single major threat to our peace, security, and ultimately our survival. It remains so today, and the situation grows more urgent every day. Under current warming trends, our islands may be submerged into the sea within the next 50 years. If and when this happens, we will be forced to abandon our islands, even though we are the least contributors to global warming and sea level rise. That forced relocation or displacement of our people is an injustice and an infringement on our fundamental and basic human rights. The Hon Enele Sosene Sopoaga, Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Statement to the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, 2017.