Migration policies of Australia and New Zealand in the context of environmental changes

This bachelor's thesis deals with the increasingly topical topic of environmental migration, which affects an increasing number of people as a result of climate change. It focuses primarily on how the states Australia and New Zealand react to this situation, the countries where people migrate from the Pacific islands, which are most at risk from climate impacts. It focuses on the Pacific, where small island states such as Kiribati and Tuvalu are located, which are existentially threatened by rising sea levels and worsening climate conditions. The aim of the thesis is to identify the approaches of the states of Australia and New Zealand, and to reveal their differences in approaches to adapting to climate change. This thesis is divided into three chapters. The first chapter is theoretical and is devoted to defining basic concepts, explaining the causes and impacts of environmental migration, and the legal protection of environmental migrants. The second and third chapters are practical. The second chapter provides an overview of the situation in specific Pacific states and the role of international organizations. The third chapter is about the policy responses of Australia and New Zealand, their visa and work programs and their approach to migrant integration. The paper shows that while Australia and New Zealand are taking some steps in the right direction, there are differences between them and room for improvement in their approach to these vulnerable populations.