This book investigates whether existing international legal frameworks, specifically refugee law, human rights law, and statelessness law, provide adequate protection for individuals displaced by climate change. Jane McAdam, a professor of international law, utilizes her extensive academic background and field research to analyze the current gaps in international protection regimes. She evaluates the legal feasibility of applying current treaties to climate-induced migration, arguing that the current international legal architecture is ill-equipped to address the specific challenges posed by environmental degradation and sea-level rise.

Legal scholars and policy experts recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the intersection of climate change and international law. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous, evidence-based approach to complex legal questions.