Global Governance: Climate Change & Huma

The course introduces the complex and multifaceted relationship between climate change and human mobility. Climate change can include rising sea levels, wildfires, desertification. Each of these, independently and together, can impact or influence the movement of people, whether forcible or not. Add to that the context of war, conflict, food crises, and the ability to predict what the relationship will be and how best to address it becomes more opaque. The course intends to unpack the interconnectedness of these issues, whether there is an overarching narrative, and what policies could be useful in making sense of these issues going forward. The course will look at the multilateral space, how addressing climate change and human mobility features within broader discussions on global climate change governance and climate action as posited in the organs of the United Nations. It will also look at the engagement of specialized UN agencies and other stakeholders including municipalities with a focus on the Global Compacts on Refugees, and Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration which were adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2018. The role of international law, and the continued relevance of norm setting will be considered when discussing future frameworks for climate change and human mobility