A recent article by Professor Maxine Burkett, Justice and Contemporary Climate Relocation: An Addendum to Words of Caution on “Climate Refugees,” was among the most read articles on the Wilson Center’s New Security Beat last month. 

In addition to her work here at the Law School, Maxine Burkett also serves as a Wilson Center public policy fellow.

The blog post explains the concept of climate migration and the various opinions as to the applicability and appropriateness of the term “climate refugees.” Burkett references several scholars and their articles while building her own argument that despite the problematic nature of the term “refugee,” “there are migration and displacement scenarios [. . . ] that beg concerted effort from the policy community, and that underscore the importance of recognizing climate change as a unique, unprecedented, and increasingly formidable trigger.”

Click here to read the full article.