The impact of climate change on state sovereignty

Tintor, Ljubomir (2024) The impact of climate change on state sovereignty. In: International scientific thematic conference From national sovereignty to negotiation sovereignty "Days of Law Rolando Quadri", Belgrade, 14 June 2024 : thematic conference proceedings of international significance. Institute of Comparative Law ; University "Niccolò Cusano",, Belgrade; Rome, pp. 297-315. ISBN 978-86-82582-18-2

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Abstract

Climate change is a global phenomenon that knows no boundaries and therefore has the potential to seriously disrupt traditional concepts of state sovereignty. Climate change leads to extreme weather events such as hurricanes, floods, and droughts. In June 2009, the United Nations General Assembly recognized, in resolution A/64/281, that climate change can have implications for security. When states face serious difficulties in addressing these issues, their ability to maintain sovereignty over their territory can be called into question. Rising sea levels result in the loss of territory for archipelagic states, which can lead to the extinction of statehood and the loss of international subjectivity. Increased climate migration can lead to demands for changes in borders or territorial autonomy, which could threaten the sovereignty of existing states. The first part of the article analyzes the concept of international subjectivity of states and state sovereignty in the classical sense, then examines the issue of deterritorialized states due to the impact of climate change. The article then analyzes how climate migration and the emergence of climate refugees affect state sovereignty. Particular attention is paid to potential demands for territorial and cultural autonomy by climate refugees from climate-deterritorialized states.

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