Yesterday in Santiago, governments across Latin America and the Caribbean adopted the Chile Declaration and Plan of Action 2024–2034 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees. At a time when the region is experiencing unprecedented levels of forced displacement—driven by persecution, violence, inequality, and socioeconomic challenges, and compounded by climate change and disasters—the need for coordinated action has never been more urgent. The Declaration and Plan of Action respond with commitments to strengthen protection and deliver inclusive solutions for refugees, displaced persons, and stateless individuals over the next decade.
Particularly noteworthy are the commitments recognizing displacement in the context of climate change and disasters as an urgent regional challenge. We commend the acknowledgment that individuals displaced across borders due to such impacts may qualify for international protection, and the reaffirmation of the principle of non-refoulement in this context, including its application at borders. Importantly, the Plan of Action acknowledges UNHCR’s foundational Legal considerations regarding claims for international protection made in the context of the adverse effects of climate change and disasters, paving the way for States to adopt and implement robust measures that protect the rights and dignity of those displaced in this context.
“The Chile Declaration and Plan of Action demonstrate a shared determination among governments in the region to address displacement in all its dimensions, including the growing challenges posed by climate change and disasters,” said Karen Musalo, CGRS’s Founding Director. “By highlighting the relevance of existing international frameworks, the Declaration recognizes the foundation of critical protections for those displaced in the context of climate change and disasters. What remains is for States to implement these obligations fully, including through bilateral and multilateral agreements, ensuring that established principles of human rights and refugee law are applied comprehensively to meet the realities of displacement today.”
CGRS stands ready to support the implementation of the Chile Declaration and Plan of Action and to continue advancing effective protection and solutions for refugees in the region, building on the recommendations we submitted to States as part of the Cartagena +40 process. To further these efforts, we are developing a practical toolkit with the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, Essex Law School and Human Rights Centre, and UNHCR. The toolkit will be a practical reference guide for decision-makers and practitioners on how existing legal frameworks can and should be applied to protect individuals displaced across borders in the context of climate change and disasters.