A refugee is a person who, "owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country." These are the words with which the 1951 Geneva Convention defines refugee status.

A text that remains effective, but one that should be updated to make room for all those people who are, against their will, experiencing the phenomenon of climate migration.

The Kiribati case

This is the case, for example, of the inhabitants of Kiribati, a state made up of 33 atolls threatened by rising sea levels. Many have already taken refuge on the largest island, Tarawa, which is now overcrowded. The floods that are periodically striking the coastlines of the archipelago are making freshwater increasingly scarce (as it becomes contaminated by saltwater), threatening crops and reducing the habitable land surface.

The president of Kiribati himself, Anote Tong, has told his people — particularly younger generations — to prepare to leave the country and "migrate with dignity." Tong has stated that the government will increase resources for education in order to give young people a better chance of building a new life elsewhere, in countries where professional competition is more intense.

Island states and Australia

Australia, for example, is the largest and closest country, and must now prepare to receive thousands of climate migrants from Pacific island states, who will be added to the 20,000 people who each year seek asylum to flee war-torn scenarios. In light of all this, the president of the Australian Refugee Council, Phil Glendenning, has called on the Canberra government led by Julia Gillard to be the first country in the world to formally recognise climate refugee status. Because people who also need help must not be discriminated against.