At least 21 million people globally are victims of human trafficking, typically involving either sexual exploitation or forced labor. This form of modern-day slavery tends to increase after natural disasters or conflicts where large numbers of people are displaced from their homes and become highly vulnerable. In the decades to come, climate change will very likely lead to a large increase in the number of people who are displaced and thus vulnerable to trafficking. The Paris Climate Agreement of 2015 established objectives to limit global temperature increases, but the voluntary pledges made by nearly every country fall far short of what is needed to meet these objectives. Several international agreements and domestic laws are aimed at combating human trafficking, but it is highly uncertain whether they will be adequate to cope with the scale of the problem that is likely to occur as a result of climate change.

Despite an enormous amount of attention paid to the factors that shape vulnerability to human trafficking, such as poverty and a lack of economic opportunity, the debate of evidence for what enables these factors to exist in the first place is relatively less explored. Presently, discussions of the relationship between climate change and human insecurity have been marginal to broader debates about vulnerability to trafficking. This paper argues that this signifies a gap in our understanding of the underlying drivers that push individuals and communities into situations where vulnerability to trafficking amplifies, but also that increase the pull of risky migration pathways and exploitative work situations. This paper proceeds by examining and problematising dominant conceptualisations of vulnerability in human trafficking and climate change discourses. Next, it presents a case study of the Sundarbans region of India to highlight how climate change impacts compound and exacerbate the same factors that shape vulnerability to human trafficking—including environmental degradation, loss of livelihood, destitution, and forced migration. Lastly, it argues for enhanced attention to climate change-related insecurity as evidence of vulnerability to trafficking and outlines what such insights can bring to anti-trafficking efforts.

Climate change will increasingly lead to widespread environmental degradation which will in turn spur large-scale vulnerability, displacement, and migration. This phenomenon is now well recognized in the literature, although causal pathways continue to be debated. However, scholars and practitioners have so far largely neglected to examine the related ways in which climate change will significantly impact the scale and scope of global trafficking in persons. This Comment responds to a lack of scholarship on the climate change-human trafficking nexus by exploring the predicted impacts of climate change on human trafficking. In light of these forecasted developments, this Comment argues that the United Nations Trafficking Protocol contains a textual basis through which states may recognize people who have been made vulnerable to trafficking by climate change. Finally, this Comment asserts that any apparent or actual consent by those who are trafficked is irrelevant within the framework of the Protocol.

Using Cambodia as an example, the authors argue that climate change increases the flow of people, thus causing an increase in trafficking in people (TIP). Since the study of climate migration began relatively recently, the two suggest further research into its relationship with TIP is necessary. Cambodia is a great example of human vulnerability amidst increased climate problems, as flooding has greatly affected it. These floods have made food less secure and people more likely to migrate. There is a section that also points out the gender disparities in who climate change affects and who is trafficked. The authors point out that more women die and are affected socially, economically, or physically due to climate change. Similarly, they point out that Cambodian women are trafficked more than men. This causes the authors to propose potential studies of culture and gender differences in climate-affected areas to better understand the vulnerabilities of increased TIP.

This paper discusses the historic and present approach of the EU towards climate migration. Villani suggests that the initial reason climate migration became a concern was the persistent interest in ensuring human security in Europe. Climate migration has caused many to become displaced and migrate to Europe, so, because of European security concerns, most countries have pursued humanitarian efforts to help displaced people before entering Europe. Villani argues that climate change is negatively affecting human security in Europe and elsewhere, so mitigation needs to be done in all areas. Legislative reforms are the principal suggestion of this paper to guarantee greater human security.

The introduction of this short article is the only part that discusses climate change, conflicts, and authoritarianism, despite the abstract listing these in the first sentence. However, this article does a great job detailing challenges faced by people who are trafficked or sex workers. The author argues that the distinction between human trafficking and sex work has led to many faults in the judicial cases around the world. This is in large part because legal systems have different outcomes depending on consent, and in many cases, where people are trafficked, they are willing to go along with parts. The author suggests that this causes judgments to be less favorable to people who are deemed to be lacking dignity, regardless of consent, and were exploited at some point in the actions. To solve this problem, the author suggests we trust the testimony of the plaintiffs more and focus more heavily on the exploitative actions. Though this article is well written and highlights many concerns in law affecting trafficked individuals, it does not discuss how climate change intersects with human trafficking.

This article describes how climate change fits into the 2003 Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (Trafficking Protocol). Climate disasters have increased vulnerabilities for people, and in many studies, there has been a notable increase in human trafficking after the disaster. Despite this, Smith argues that climate-induced vulnerable populations are already included in the Trafficking Protocol, so she then addresses why many people are trafficked due to climate vulnerabilities. Smith finds that in many cases, governments will take a very punitive anti-trafficking stance that focuses on arresting perpetrators. By focusing more on punishments, these governments can appear anti-trafficking without considering what actions (if there actions) cause people to be vulnerable. The solution to these problems, according to Smith, is to give climate-affected populations greater legal protections, community support, and to reduce the impact of climate change.

The authors are mostly concerned with the health of climate migrants moving through Latin American countries into the US. This articles focus on how public health systems for countries in the Americas accommodate migrants. Risks facing climate migrants include food insecurity, improper legal protections, and human trafficking, and the authors express that children are more likely to fall victim to these threats. This paper suggests that repairing inadequate healthcare procedures for and guaranteeing the dignity of climate migrants requires legal protections similar to those given to refugees. Furthermore, there needs to be a greater focus on child protection throughout known migrant corridors to ensure the present and future livelihoods of migrant children are not damaged. This reading is not specifically covering the nexus of climate migration and human trafficking, but it does identify systemic flaws permitting climate migrants and trafficked individuals to face scant human rights.

Sudden events in the aftermath of disasters, slow-onset events/disasters, and slow-onset events combined with conflict and forced displacement are the three pathways leading vulnerable people to be at greater risk of exploitation or slavery. The authors connect climate change to increased human mobility and vulnerability then explain that these have a close relationship to modern slavery. The analysis contains two Case Studies, one discussing the droughts in Ghana and their effect on slavery, while the second discusses the floods in India and Bangladesh. These case studies do a great job detailing the experiences of people in different areas, with different socioeconomic situations respond to climate disasters and become vulnerable to human trafficking and slavery. I appreciate the last chapter of this analysis because the authors include policy suggestions to mitigate the effects of climate change and modern slavery.

The number of victims of human trafficking detected globally is rising again after falling off during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in its latest report on the issue, covering 156 countries.

The article talks about human trafficking in Sierra Leone, providing testimonies of trafficked individuals and those in anti-trafficking efforts. Aceland identifies coercion, fraud, or force as the main forms of trafficking and explains how climate change increases the vulnerability of people to these methods. There is an example of a man whose crops were destroyed by a climate disaster, so someone offered to provide him work, then captured him and forced him to work for free. Examples like these make it clear how dangerous human trafficking is and how climate change can cause increased human trafficking. The authors suggest that anti-trafficking police units become better equipped, but in some government environments, where the acquittal rate is high, educating vulnerable people may be a better solution.

This short news article highlights the positive relationship between Ghana and the Vatican on issues regarding climate change, human trafficking, health, and dignity. The subject seems to be addressing comments by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to the press that he hopes the relationship between Ghana and the Vatican will continue despite the death of Cardinal Kuuia Baawobr and Cardinal Peter Dery. Though this article does not highlight climate change or human trafficking mitigation directly, it does highlight the unique bilateral approaches some countries make in addressing these issues.