“No one wants to be a refugee”: examining improvements in programs and frameworks for long-term climate change-induced migration in Australia

By Marko Golubovac, University of Melbourne, IMF and World Bank Annual Summit, 2022

Marco studied at the University of Melbourne in the Faculty of Business and Economics. His policy paper focuses on “No one wants to be a refugee”: examining improvements in programs and frameworks for long-term climate change-induced migration in Australia

Executive Summary

This paper proposes a comprehensive buddy program be implemented in Australia,

modelled after the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Program (CRISP).

Utilising both state and federal funding, the program aims to match refugees from all ages

and backgrounds with volunteers from their local host community to build engagement and

trust. The program should be driven by a set of training, matching, reporting and community

engagement practices that empower refugees with the skills and confidence to achieve

positive employment and community integration outcomes.

Secondly, this paper outlines the arguments for the introduction of a framework to

recognise climate catastrophe asylum seekers in Australia. Currently, the term ‘climate

refugee’ is not a recognised condition of seeking asylum (Kelly, 2016) and climate refugees

do not face the same protections as other refugees and asylum seekers (Thomson, 2019).

Australian communities and policy makers must prepare for a future of increased climate

catastrophes and displaced persons, including domestically.

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