What About the Human Side of Climate-Induced Migration? …
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technical aid and resources that help refugees’ reception and contribute to their integration in the host countries. This assistance ranges from the availability of housing,
food, access to health and education (Leal Filho 2011).
Refugees’ educational challenges are particularly difficult in higher education,
which is the educational level with least adherence among refugees due to many
challenges, i.e. academic literacy, language barriers and the need to work on jobs
that require low qualification (Crea 2016). The number of studies related to the
role of universities to promote refugees’ wellbeing is still insufficient. Therefore, it
is important to discuss their realities and challenges, aiming to find and expand the
actions that contribute to improving their quality of life (Nicolai et al. 2016). Accordingly, this study aims to contribute to the literature by analyzing how universities
can contribute to improving refugees’ wellbeing by implementing the Sustainable
Development Goals. To reach this goal, a qualitative approach was used to collect and
analyze the necessary data, followed by interviews with seven university managers
in Brazil.
2 Literature Review
2.1 Climate Change-Induced Migration, the Climate
Refugees
Since the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, Refugees are defined
by the United Nations as “any person who owing to a 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; or
who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual
residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to
return to it” (UNHCR 1951).
Despite its fundamental importance to ensure the protection of refugees, the 1951
convention does not cover a different category of forced migrants, failing to recognize
and protect the climate refugees (Eckersley 2015; McNamara and Gibson 2009).
There is no common agreement on the concept of climate refugees; however, a
comprehensive definition was proposed in 2017, defining climate change refugees
as “any person who has been forced to leave their home, or their country, due to the
effects of severe climate events, being forced to rebuild their lives in other places,
despite the conditions to which they are subjected” (Berchin et al. 2017).
As a common ground, refugees are international migrants forced to flee their home
countries seeking protection or better living conditions. Refugees migrate due to
violence, persecution of many kinds, social and political unrest, famine, poverty, war,
natural disasters (Loescher 1996). Despite its increasing numbers, climate change
refugees are not protected by international policies due to the lack of policies covering
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technical aid and resources that help refugees’ reception and contribute to their integration in the host countries. This assistance ranges from the availability of housing,
food, access to health and education (Leal Filho 2011).
Refugees’ educational challenges are particularly difficult in higher education,
which is the educational level with least adherence among refugees due to many
challenges, i.e. academic literacy, language barriers and the need to work on jobs
that require low qualification (Crea 2016). The number of studies related to the
role of universities to promote refugees’ wellbeing is still insufficient. Therefore, it
is important to discuss their realities and challenges, aiming to find and expand the
actions that contribute to improving their quality of life (Nicolai et al. 2016). Accordingly, this study aims to contribute to the literature by analyzing how universities
can contribute to improving refugees’ wellbeing by implementing the Sustainable
Development Goals. To reach this goal, a qualitative approach was used to collect and
analyze the necessary data, followed by interviews with seven university managers
in Brazil.
2 Literature Review
2.1 Climate Change-Induced Migration, the Climate
Refugees
Since the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, Refugees are defined
by the United Nations as “any person who owing to a 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; or
who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual
residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to
return to it” (UNHCR 1951).
Despite its fundamental importance to ensure the protection of refugees, the 1951
convention does not cover a different category of forced migrants, failing to recognize
and protect the climate refugees (Eckersley 2015; McNamara and Gibson 2009).
There is no common agreement on the concept of climate refugees; however, a
comprehensive definition was proposed in 2017, defining climate change refugees
as “any person who has been forced to leave their home, or their country, due to the
effects of severe climate events, being forced to rebuild their lives in other places,
despite the conditions to which they are subjected” (Berchin et al. 2017).
As a common ground, refugees are international migrants forced to flee their home
countries seeking protection or better living conditions. Refugees migrate due to
violence, persecution of many kinds, social and political unrest, famine, poverty, war,
natural disasters (Loescher 1996). Despite its increasing numbers, climate change
refugees are not protected by international policies due to the lack of policies covering