160
I. I. Berchin et al.
their category (Hodgkinson et al. 2009). However, its importance is represented by the
rising number of people internally and internationally displaced due to the irreversible
effects of climate change (e.g. extreme weather events, desertification, sea-level rise,
salinization of the soil and groundwater) (Berchin et al. 2017).
Forced migration is an emergency action, which is not planned by those fleeing
their homeland. Therefore, climate change refugees are more susceptible to suffer
financial restraints and social exclusion in their destinations, this process condemns
entire generations to social vulnerability and inhibits the promotion of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of environmental
phenomena that induce human migration (Warner et al. 2009), which increase local
disputes over natural resources (Mazo 2010; Matthew et al. 2009; Welzer 2010) and
improve the conditions to the proliferation of infectious diseases, particularly those
related to warm weather (Moran 2011).
2.2 Universities for the Sustainable Development Goals:
Assisting the Climate Refugees
Universities are secular institutions with a key role as social organizations (de
Andrade et al. 2018). They influence economic, political, social, technological and
environmental elements of our societies, preparing future leaders to develop new
methods to meet societal demands (Aktas 2015).
Universities have the intrinsic mission to endorse democratic processes throughout
society and inside its campuses (de Andrade et al. 2018). According to the United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE 2009), besides being a human
right, education “is a prerequisite for achieving sustainable development and an
essential tool for good governance, informed decision-making and the promotion of
democracy”.
For decades universities advocate for a more active role of education on sustainability and climate change; e.g. the Stockholm Declaration in 1972, the Belgrade
Charter in 1975, the Tbilisi Declaration in 1977, the Talloires Declaration in 1990,
the Agenda 21 in 1992, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000, the
Rio +20 in 2012, and the SDGs in 2015 (Lozano et al. 2013; Berchin et al. 2018).
Large-scale climate change migration compromises the MDGs and SDGs by
affecting all their goals but, particularly, it interrupts the provision of education and
health services (IOM 2008). “Forced migration hinders development in at least four
ways; by increasing pressure on urban infrastructure and services, by undermining
economic growth, by increasing the risk of conflict and by leading to worse health,
educational and social indicators among migrants themselves” (IOM 2008, p. 32).
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated that climate changerelated events, particularly climate change-forced migration, threatened the achievement of the MDGs and, consequently, the SDGs as well (IOM 2008). The world
I. I. Berchin et al.
their category (Hodgkinson et al. 2009). However, its importance is represented by the
rising number of people internally and internationally displaced due to the irreversible
effects of climate change (e.g. extreme weather events, desertification, sea-level rise,
salinization of the soil and groundwater) (Berchin et al. 2017).
Forced migration is an emergency action, which is not planned by those fleeing
their homeland. Therefore, climate change refugees are more susceptible to suffer
financial restraints and social exclusion in their destinations, this process condemns
entire generations to social vulnerability and inhibits the promotion of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of environmental
phenomena that induce human migration (Warner et al. 2009), which increase local
disputes over natural resources (Mazo 2010; Matthew et al. 2009; Welzer 2010) and
improve the conditions to the proliferation of infectious diseases, particularly those
related to warm weather (Moran 2011).
2.2 Universities for the Sustainable Development Goals:
Assisting the Climate Refugees
Universities are secular institutions with a key role as social organizations (de
Andrade et al. 2018). They influence economic, political, social, technological and
environmental elements of our societies, preparing future leaders to develop new
methods to meet societal demands (Aktas 2015).
Universities have the intrinsic mission to endorse democratic processes throughout
society and inside its campuses (de Andrade et al. 2018). According to the United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE 2009), besides being a human
right, education “is a prerequisite for achieving sustainable development and an
essential tool for good governance, informed decision-making and the promotion of
democracy”.
For decades universities advocate for a more active role of education on sustainability and climate change; e.g. the Stockholm Declaration in 1972, the Belgrade
Charter in 1975, the Tbilisi Declaration in 1977, the Talloires Declaration in 1990,
the Agenda 21 in 1992, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000, the
Rio +20 in 2012, and the SDGs in 2015 (Lozano et al. 2013; Berchin et al. 2018).
Large-scale climate change migration compromises the MDGs and SDGs by
affecting all their goals but, particularly, it interrupts the provision of education and
health services (IOM 2008). “Forced migration hinders development in at least four
ways; by increasing pressure on urban infrastructure and services, by undermining
economic growth, by increasing the risk of conflict and by leading to worse health,
educational and social indicators among migrants themselves” (IOM 2008, p. 32).
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated that climate changerelated events, particularly climate change-forced migration, threatened the achievement of the MDGs and, consequently, the SDGs as well (IOM 2008). The world