On 20 January 2026, we hosted our very first online workshop exploring legal rights and climate migration for beginners. It brought together people from different backgrounds who share one thing in common: a desire to better understand how climate change is reshaping movement, protection, and justice across the world.
What led to the workshop
Climate migration is no longer a distant or abstract idea; it is happening now, and the law is racing (sometimes stumbling) to keep up.
Over the past few years, we have watched the conversation shift dramatically: courts are issuing landmark opinions, governments are being pushed to respond, communities are demanding recognition, protection, and accountability. At the same time, confusion remains widespread. Many people are unsure what rights actually exist, who is protected, and what happens when climate change makes staying impossible; or moving equally so.
At Earth Refuge, these questions come up again and again in our work, our events, and our conversations with partners around the world. There is clear interest, but also a clear gap: people want to understand the legal reality, not just the headlines.
This workshop grew out of that urgency. We wanted to create a space where people could step back, make sense of the rapidly changing legal landscape, and explore how climate mobility connects to deeper questions of justice, responsibility, and human rights.
Most of all, we wanted people to feel informed, grounded, and part of a growing global conversation.
What the workshop included
We began by going back to basics. Participants explored key concepts such as climate migration, climate (im)mobility, and the idea that people may have both the right to move and the right to stay. Interactive polls helped unpack common assumptions, including who qualifies as a refugee and how existing legal frameworks relate to climate change.
From there, we stepped into the evolving legal landscape. Participants heard about major international developments, national policy changes, and individual legal cases that are beginning to shape how climate-related movement is recognised and addressed.
The workshop also situated climate mobility firmly within social justice. Discussions explored how displacement intersects with inequality, colonial legacies and political decision-making, why some communities face far greater risks than others, and what each participant believes we need to do in order to make these fledgling legal rights stick.
Later sessions focused on recent legal shifts around accountability and protection, before introducing our Climate Mobility Case (CMC) database– a growing resource designed to track legal decisions, share knowledge, and support advocacy worldwide.
Breakout discussions gave participants time to reflect, analyse case studies, and share ideas about what meaningful legal protection could look like in practice.
Feedback
The response to our inaugural workshop was incredibly encouraging.
All participants rated the clarity of the content at the highest level, and engagement scores were equally strong, with the vast majority giving top marks to the interactive format. Overall satisfaction averaged 4.7 out of 5, with two-thirds of respondents rating the workshop a full 5.
Participants told us they particularly valued the balance between foundational knowledge and real-world legal developments. The legal landscape overview and the introduction to the CMC database were frequently highlighted as the most useful sessions, alongside the opening foundations on climate (im)mobility.
Many also commented on the structure and delivery of the session, describing it as well organised, accessible, and thoughtfully paced. The combination of expert insight, polls, and breakout discussions helped make complex legal material easier to engage with.
We also received constructive suggestions that we are excited to build on, including requests for deeper dives into specific legal frameworks, more time for discussion, and additional breakout opportunities earlier in the session.
Most importantly, participants told us they left feeling more confident in their understanding of climate mobility and its legal dimensions, and more aware of the scale and urgency of the challenges ahead.
Stay tuned
This workshop was just the beginning!
We are continuing to develop practical resources, including a UK-focused practice toolkit, further online and in-person trainings, and new ways to explore climate mobility through arts, culture, and community dialogue.
We are also expanding the CMC database and creating more opportunities for people to contribute with their knowledge, research, and livedexperience.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this first session. We are excited about what comes next, and we hope you will be part of it.