This work investigates the legal vacuum surrounding individuals displaced by environmental change and proposes concrete frameworks to bridge existing protection gaps in international law. Isabel M. Borges, an expert in international law, synthesizes current legal instruments and human rights standards to address the lack of a formal status for climate-induced migrants. The book argues that existing international frameworks are insufficient to handle the scale of displacement caused by climate-related disasters and slow-onset environmental degradation. By analyzing state obligations and regional precedents, the author constructs a normative argument for expanding legal protections to include environmental refugees.

Legal scholars and policy analysts frequently cite this text as a rigorous examination of the intersection between environmental science and international jurisprudence. Experts highlight the author's systematic approach to identifying gaps in current legal protections as a foundational contribution to the field.