16 Global Recommendations on Nationality and Statelessness in the Context of Climate Change PART A Global Recommendations on Nationality and Statelessness in the Context of Climate Change 1. INTRODUCTION PART A Purpose and audience Under the adverse and growing impacts of climate change, the vulnerability of stateless persons is being exacerbated, which may be related to both their lack of nationality and associated rights, and lack of capacity to adapt to climate-related hazards. At the same time, climate change impacts are increasing conditions under which people in some situations risk losing their nationality and becoming stateless. 1.3 The Global Recommendations on Nationality and Statelessness in the Context of Climate Change (‘Global Recommendations’) aim to guide States and other stakeholders towards concrete steps that will help safeguard every person’s right to a nationality and reduce the impacts of climate change on those who are already stateless. They are intended to help governments assess, plan, and take timely action to ensure that: • their citizens do not lose their nationality and can continue to pass it on to their children; • statelessness is prevented and reduced; and • stateless persons are protected in the context of the unfolding climate emergency. 1.4 The Global Recommendations are potentially relevant to a wide range of government ministries and departments, including those responsible for: nationality matters; civil registration; foreign affairs; climate change and environmental issues; migration and displacement; human rights; disaster and emergency risk management; development; health; education; employment; indigenous peoples and minorities. Other stakeholders, including stateless-led and community-based organisations, other civil society groups, researchers, regional and international organisations may also find the Global Recommendations useful in their efforts to support governments, affected communities and stateless persons in this area. 1.5 The Global Recommendations are aligned with the objectives of UNHCR’s Global Action Plan 2.0, particularly the call to better understand and effectively address the adverse impacts of climate change on the risks of statelessness and on stateless persons.7 They also align with the vision of the UNHCR-led Global Alliance to End Statelessness of ‘a world free from statelessness where everyone enjoys the right to a nationality without discrimination.’8 1. INTRODUCTION 17