ClimMobil: Judicial and policy responses to climate change-related mobility in the European Union with a focus on Austria and Sweden

Research Topic & Roadmap

Climate change is an increasingly important factor in relation to migration and flight. Although most of the affected people (will) remain in their regions of origin, some of them will also seek protection in Europe (including Austria). However, the legal status of such people is insufficiently clarified and guaranteed (“normative protection gap”). The research project “ClimMobil” aims to analyze the current and potential scope of international protection as well as other forms of protection (e.g. humanitarian protection) in the European Union, in particular in Austria and Sweden.

The programme line “Asylum and Migration” of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights (LBI-GMR) is cooperating with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in Sweden from October 2019 to May 2022.

Research Focus

The project looks at the implementation of international protection at the national level and at inequalities and discrimination in this context. Likewise, it looks at other forms of national protection relevant in this context and assesses the (increasing) awareness of it in European countries. Through the cooperation with Sweden, it also highlights differences between Austria and Sweden as well as the meanings, opportunities and challenges of climate migration.

Research Method

The central element of the research project are case studies on Austria and Sweden. In the course of these, national law and case law are examined from an international and European legal perspective. In a first step, the legal status quo on a global and European level is examined. In a second step, relevant EU law, in particular the EU Qualification Directive, is examined. To embed the legal issues in a broader international policy context, the project analyzes current international institutional and policy developments connected to climate change-related mobility and their implications for Austria and Europe. Based on these legal and policy analyses, recommendations for policy actors will be drafted.