Abandoning the concept of ‘climate refugee’

When climate change is used to explain socio-political phenomena like migration, social inequality is naturalised.

It is entirely reasonable to assume that as climate change intensifies, it will result in more human migration and displacement. Images of Bangladeshis seeking refuge from the latest cyclone or Californians fleeing suburban wildfires affirm a sense that climate change is driving the next great migration . And yet the great paradox of climate migration is that there is no such thing as a “climate migrant” or “climate refugee”.