From impact refugees to deterritorialized states: Foresighting extreme legal-policy cases in asteroid impact scenarios

Throughout recorded history, humans have crossed national borders to seek safety in nearby countries. The reasons for displacement have been generated by phenomena of terrestrial origin, but exposure to unexpected extra-terrestrial threats poses a different scenario. An asteroid impact warning implies a change of paradigm which would represent a historic precedent. In this regard, the analogies with natural disasters must be considered, along with multiple possible scenarios, and legal aspects related to (a) the legal framework to regulate this situation; (b) the action and responsibility of the states; and (c) the definition of impact refugee and the reconfiguration of traditional concepts…