Australians are not known for their love of boat people

Australians are not known for their love of boat people. They famously turned away a small group of Afghan refugees at the height of the war and rather amusingly, ran a scare campaign featuring crocodiles and sharks to deter would-be immigrants. But if global warming continues at its current rate, neighbouring Pacific islands could be lost to floods and Australia will be facing a new kind of intruder: climate refugees. Although the Red Cross produced a report four years ago estimating that 58 per cent of refugees are caused by environmental factors, no one has made any attempt to tackle the issue. Oxford University’s Norman Myers recently claimed that there could be an estimated 150 million environmental refugees within the next 50 years, and half of these could land on Australia’s doorstep. But the UN refuses to grant them refugee status, and aid groups and environmentalists squabble over whose responsibility they are.

DAZED & CONFUSED July 2005

(FUVEST 2006 1ª FASE) According to the passage, Australians

may have to face the “threat” of flood-stricken neighbours.

are regarded as being quite funny people.

are preparing to shelter a flood of climate refugees.

have been criticized for their prejudice against war refugees.

started campaigning to keep out strangers four years ago.

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