What is an acceptable number of fatalities in European waters? Specifically, how many dead children and exhausted migrants should we consider as collateral damage in our supposed “war” against an imagined threat? The truth is, there is no war except the one we have created within ourselves – it’s a culture war. The idea of “strong borders” is meant to protect our economy, yet we fail to recognize that these migrants, who are young and fit, could greatly contribute to our economies if given the chance to work.
The question of acceptable deaths is crucial because we are actively implementing policies that directly contribute to these avoidable tragedies. Just this year, over 2,000 people have drowned in their attempts to reach European shores through the Mediterranean. In June, a single overcrowded boat off Greece resulted in the deaths of 650 people, with only 104 survivors. This month alone, 41 individuals died off the coast of Italy, 63 perished in their pursuit of Spain, and at least six lost their lives in the English Channel while trying to reach Britain in a small boat. With every normalized death, our threshold of tolerance seems to rise, diminishing our shared humanity.
It has been exactly eight years since the powerful image of Alan Kurdi, a two-year-old Syrian refugee, washed up on a Mediterranean beach and momentarily shook the world into compassion. However, the initial surge of empathy quickly faded, and border policies have since hardened, accompanied by hostile rhetoric and actions from our leaders. We have allowed populist propaganda and tabloid-driven campaigns to dominate the political discourse on migration, resulting in brutal and costly policies in Europe and North Africa. Vulnerable individuals are tormented with impunity, and safe routes are non-existent.
Even in the UK, where mismanagement and delays in asylum claims have led to a backlog of over 136,000 applicants who are forbidden to work, the costs of hotel housing alone amount to £2.3 billion annually. In response to the government’s failure to address these issues, Rishi Sunak has launched an offensive against asylum seekers, implementing harsh and unworkable measures. This includes the recent Illegal Migration Act, which undermines the universal right of individuals to seek safety elsewhere, and the removal of comforting murals at detention centers. These actions and policies are not worthy of true leadership or governance during a time of global crisis.
It is high time we approach human movement pragmatically and develop a sustainable plan to manage it. With population growth and the consequences of global warming, such as conflicts, disasters, and food shortages, the number of people forced to leave their homes will only increase in the coming years. The UK currently receives a fraction of asylum seekers per citizen compared to EU nations, let alone the global scale. This is not an immigration crisis, but it could become one if we fail to plan ahead. Climate change has already begun to wreak havoc – from fires to floods, hurricanes to extreme heat – and millions of people are being displaced as a result. By the end of the century, billions may be living in areas where temperatures exceed 29C.
We witnessed a glimpse of the impact of climate change when British refugees fleeing the wildfires in Rhodes arrived in small boats and were met with kindness and generosity from Greek communities. However, not everyone has the luxury of receiving asylum based on their papers and skin color. Preventing a climate-based apartheid on our shared planet is in the best interest of everyone. As extreme conditions worsen, people will inevitably have to move, along with capital, expertise, production, and industry. We still have the opportunity to make choices that shape the outcome. If we want to reduce the number of people forced to migrate, we must invest in adaptive measures, prioritize decarbonization, and engage in open discussions about managing human movement within our cities, nation, and in collaboration with neighboring countries.
Now is a critical moment for decision-making. Will we devise a feasible path forward by adjusting our border policies to accommodate the reality of movement, or will we continue to turn a blind eye to the mass drownings of young individuals? It is up to us to choose the kind of society we want to be.
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