Environmental refugees: an urgent global issue

The issue of climate refugees has been gaining more and more attention on the global stage, but it still faces a series of controversies and challenges. According to Professor Andréa Vettorassi, coordinator of the Sérgio Vieira de Mello Chair (CSVM) at UFG, the term "climate refugee" is not yet officially recognized by the UN. The more commonly used term is "environmental refugee," a broader definition that includes not only climate change but also other environmental disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Regardless of the term used, the truth is that climate change is causing forced displacements in various parts of the world. Phenomena such as desertification, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events have forced entire communities to abandon their homes. “We know of entire countries that are sinking, whole islands disappearing. These people will flee somewhere. They are already fleeing,” explains Vettorassi.

Moreover, there is a false notion that this is a one-off situation, an unpredictable catastrophe. This perception hinders the creation of specific public policies, with local and global impacts, that mitigate the long-term damage caused by climate change. As Professor Vettorassi emphasizes, “we cannot treat environmental refuge as something one-off. These are consequences of a political, economic, and demographic context that need to be addressed globally and integratively.”

Another concerning factor is the lack of specific legislation for environmental refugees, which increases the obstacles to their protection. Many of these people are not officially recognized as refugees, limiting their access to rights and assistance.

Currently, in Brazil, the most significant case that would fit into environmental refuge is that of the Haitians. However, they are not considered refugees and receive another type of visa, the humanitarian one.

Humanitarian Visa vs. Refuge

The humanitarian visa facilitates entry and regularization in Brazil for people from countries in adverse situations, such as catastrophes, conflicts, political instability, and human rights violations. On the other hand, the granting of refuge is a legal and permanent protection offered to citizens of other countries who suffer persecution based on race, religion, nationality, social group, or political opinions, or who are subject to severe and widespread human rights violations in their country.

Unlike refuge, which is requested in Brazil, the humanitarian visa is applied for outside the country, with Brazilian consular authorities, which bureaucratizes and increases the waiting time for people who did not have time to plan for this change. 

Moreover, refugees are protected by specific legislation, Law No. 9.474/1997, which guarantees greater security, stability, and permanence in the country. This benefit does not apply to those who receive the temporary visa for humanitarian reception, covered by the Migration Law, No. 13.445/2017. This is the case for Haitians, who are experiencing an unprecedented crisis, started by an environmental tragedy, but who do not have refugee status in Brazil.

Prejudice

Another barrier faced by these people is the prejudice intensified by their origin. Even in situations of extreme vulnerability, such as refuge, there are other markers of inequality that cause certain people to receive more or less condescension. For example, a middle-class white European refugee, such as a Ukrainian fleeing the war, will have much more access to rights, opportunities, and destinations than a poor, black refugee from countries without structures.

“Recently, I was part of a panel for a work by an international relations student here at UFG, who conducted a detailed analysis of meetings of the European Union, the European Parliament, and the UN. She proved that the European Union's reception of the Ukrainian refugee was completely different from that offered to the Syrian-Lebanese refugee,” pointed out Vettorassi.

Role of the CSVM

The Chairs across the country aim to support migrants, assist in adaptation, and guarantee their rights, with projects ranging from psychological assistance to legal assistance. The CSVM of UFG values the rescue of migrants' memories, encouraging initiatives such as cultural and gastronomic fairs held by Venezuelans and Haitians. These activities promote the rescue of memory and the celebration of migrant cultures, alleviating the pain of the forced migration process.