CoE Rapporteur on Forced Migration by Environmental Incidents, Bies, to Eurofora: Race against Time

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/-Speaking to "Eurofora" just after the Debate and Adoption, by CoE's PanEuropean Assembly, of his Report on "New Challenges" about "Forced Migration", mainly by recently Growing Major Environmental Upheavals, provoked by Natural or Man-made Catastrophes and/or Climate Change, French MEP Philippe Bies, of the Governing Socialist Party, from Strasbourg, gave a Stern Warning about Possible, or even Probable Dengers in the foreseable Future, against which, Europe and the whole International Community should find the adequate and Efficient ways to  Fight in "a Race against Time", as he stressed.

Indeed, a CoE's Resolution adopted Today observes that," according to the UNHCR, about 50 Millions People have been Displaced Woerldwide in Recent Years", both "because of Conflicts, Persecution and Violence", and "as a Result of Natural, Chemical or Nuclear Disasters", while, in addition, "according to the InterGovernemental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)", "the Flow of Environmental Migrants will reach 150 Millions by 2050", othe relevant Organisations  speaking about "200 Millions".

Such Estimations come kust a few Years after the World Meteorological Organisation had Warned about a Recent and Growing Trend towards a Repêtition and even Multiplication of various "Extreme Weather Events" (EWE), in Many Countries, (that some attribute to Climate Change).

Questioned by "Eurofora" if he thinks that there might be a real Risk to approach, at least partly, a situation like that, against which had warned the Famous Brittish Writer Orwell in his Book "1984", where he describes a Europe surrounded by Exceptional Events, Catastrophes, Wars, etc., which Force a lot of People to Seek Refuge, and, thus, Massively Emigrate in adverse conditions, CoE's Rapporteur didn't Deny such a Risk, in the forseable Future, even if he pointed mainly at Locations situated further away :

 -  In fact, "the idea (of his Report) is for Europe to take an Initiative for the Definition of ?orced Migration" by Environmental Disasters, (See Infra), "even if it's (EU) Not the most affected" Directly by those Events, Bies Replied to "Eurofora".

- Because, "those who are the most Immediately Concerned are in Other Continents, such as, f.ex., India, Bangladesh, Central Asia, etc, which don't have, however,  an exclusivity on Natural Catastrophes, since they might occur also in Europe".

=> - "My aim is to Anticipate : We know that these Phenomena Exist, that they are Growing. So, we should try to Monitor them in the Best Possible way", CoE's Rapporteur explained.

- "At the same Time, we should accomplish things that we master less than others, such as COP21 ; Concerning Climate Change, it's COP21 which should Today incite the Countries to Monitor the Energies used, to Care for a more Human and Ecological Development, etc", Bies pointed out, speaking at the CoE in Strasbourg, the Same Day that, in UNO's Headquarters at New York, the latest COP21 Agreement, reached last Year at the relevant International UNCCC Summit in Paris, was opened for Signature by the interested Countriesn, which already reached the Number of 170.

-+ But, "There is also a Legal aspect : That's the Review of the Definition of who is a "Refugee", CoE's Rapporteur added.

 For that purpose, make a New, Specific Treaty, would be "too Complicated". "I think that we must try to make it as Simple and Efficient as posible", f.ex. by "an Additional Protocol to the (general) Geneva Conventions (on Refugees). That's it", he advised.

- "I don't know how Long it might take. I suppose some Years. For the moment, I try to Contribute by bringing a First Stone" to the overall Edifice, Bies said modestly.

- Because, concerning the Various Possible Dangers, "in fact, they are Important. it's a Race against Time !", he Warned.

- Therefore, Action should be taken "on Both Levers" :

 - (A) "If we can Prevent Population Displacements, we must do it. This goes through the Fight against Climate Change". But, "despite the Success of COP21, everybody knows that there are Countries which won't make enough efforts. So that, perhaps, it might Delay Climate Change, but not yet Stop it", he observed.

 - (B) "And, afterwords, it's that Legal Issue, which is Important". Because, "once a New Definition given", Forced Environmental Refugees could be Protected. On the Contrary,- "Let's imagine what might happen", f.ex. "in case of Climate Change provoking a Big Population Movement, without having, previously, added to Political Refugees also a Legal Definition of a Status for Environmental Refugees... It's as Simple as that", CoE's Rapporteur pointed out.

- When "Eurofora" reminded to Bies the notorious 2003 Heatwave in France, which Killed some 15.000 Persso,s and THreatened the Energy Independence of the Country, (f.ex. by Reducing Water flows needed to ReFresh Nuclear Reactors, etc), added to the 2010 Russian Heatwave, which filled Moscow with suffocating Smog, and provoked huge Fires at the Countryside, Destroying.Crops and Threatening Nuclear and Military Defense Installations, etc., the PanEuropean CoE's Rapporteur agreed that, "Yes, this might Happen even in Europe !".

 - "However, in order for any Population Movement to result in real Refugees, they must get Out from one Country and go to anOther", he reminded, "you can't be a Refugee inside your own Country", as he pointed out. Even if he spoke in Strasbourg, Near the Franco-German Border, too Easy to Cross in just a Few Minutes, as "Eurofora" observed, making him smile.

+ While, in addition, even Inside one Country, various areas of Different Conflicts or Catastrophes throughout the World, unfortunately have experienced the Tragic Phenomenon of the so-called Massive Forced Movements of "Internaly Displaced People", or "IDP"s, according to the usual acronym used in such cases by the UN, (f.ex., in Cyprus, in ex-Yugoslavia, Ukraine, etc). In case of Natural or Environmental Catastrophes, such Events have partialy occured even inside China, (f.ex. after Huge Mudslides and/or Floods, etc), and/or the USA (f.ex. after the 2005 "Katrina" Giant Hurricane Disaster, when a lot of American People were Obliged or Ordered by the Government to Evacuate and Leave away from their Homes at the Southern Mississipi area), etc.

=> That's why, inter alia, the Resolution adopted Today by CoE's Assembly includes also a Call for the "Integration of Persons Displaced for Environmental Reasons, whether they are Internaly Displaced, or have been Forced to Emigrate to anOther State".

+ Moreover, CoE's Resolution adopted according to Bies' Report, "underlines that the Impact of climate change and natural, chemical or nuclear disasters Varies depending on the Vulnerability and adaptability of the Populations concerned, and on the Capacity of States to prevent or deal with such events". Therefore, the PanEuropean Assembly "recommends that Member States" : "acknowledge the Vulnerability of these Groups and ensure that their fundamental Rights are fully observed".

++ In General, States should "give greater Priority to devising Protection Policies and Norms for Victims of Natural, chemical or nuclear Disasters and for the victims of the consequences of Climate change", "adopt measures to prohibit any over-exploitation of natural resources", and "take the necessary measures to Resettle the Populations concerned", while also "Reviewing the relevant international Rules and expand them to include a definition for these migrants", particularly by "Revising the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees", (Comp. Supra).

  - The Issue doesn't seem to provoke a lot of Political Controversy among Various Parties of MEPs, as it appeared  also by the Fact that Experienced ChristianDemocrat/EPP French MEP André Schneider, speaking on the name of his Political Group, strongly supported Bies' Report on most of its main points, reminding also that he had pzersonaly drafted, already as early as since 2012 another relevant Report, for the National Assembly in Paris, on "the Impact of Climate Change on Security and Defence", where he had Warned about "Environmental Migrations" : "F.ex., in Egypt, a 50 cm rise in the level of the Mediterranean might provoke an Exodus of 4 Millions People fleeing the Nile Delta for Higher regions", observed Schneider.

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("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora"s Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version, may be published asap).