Tag: Migration

Climate Change, Migration, and Civil Strife

In this theoretical paper, the intersection of human migration and climate change is investigated, highlighting growing evidence that environmental and climatic changes act as triggers for both voluntary and forced displacement. The authors argue that this connection calls for anticipatory and proactive engagement at global, regional, and local levels.

Recent evidence indicates that climate change is likely to displace large populations from rural to urban areas, with onward migration occurring when urban centers also become uninhabitable.

Climate change is increasingly recognized as a “threat multiplier” that intensifies existing vulnerabilities and disproportionately affects already at-risk populations. Worst-case projections suggest that nearly one-third of the world’s population could be exposed to extremely hot, uninhabitable climates under business-as-usual scenarios.

The authors conclude that current migration regimes, originally designed for post–World War II Europe, are inadequate for addressing climate-related population movements. They emphasize the need to use existing legal instruments to support new local, regional, and international protection arrangements, particularly since most environmental migrants will remain within their own countries.

Migration is therefore reframed not only as a consequence of climate instability but also as an adaptation strategy, and it is stressed that climate-driven mobility must be anticipated, planned for, and supported.

Learn more about this paper here: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-020-00291-4

Reference

Balsari, S., Dresser, C. & Leaning, J. Climate Change, Migration, and Civil Strife. Curr Envir Health Rpt 7, 404–414 (2020)

2020-10-13
Climate Change and Migration: New Insights from a Dynamic Model of Out-Migration and Return Migration

In this paper the impacts of climate change on migration and climate refugees experiences are investigated, through the use of an agent-based model (ABM) of land use, social networks, and household dynamics to examine how extreme floods and droughts affect migration in Northeast Thailand.

The ABM models dynamic and interactive pathways, including both out-migration and return migration.

Study results indicate minimal effects on out-migration but strong negative effects on return migration, highlighting the central role of social networks in shaping these patterns.

They also suggest that climate change does not create entirely new migration processes, but instead operates through existing mobility patterns embedded in social networks and life-course trajectories, where out- and return migration are closely interconnected.

Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1086/709463

Reference

Entwisle, B., Verdery, A., & Williams, N. (2020). Climate Change and Migration: New Insights from a Dynamic Model of Out-Migration and Return Migration. AJS; American journal of sociology, 125(6), 1469–1512

2020-05-30
Climate Change and Displacement: Protecting ‘Climate Refugees’ within a Framework of Justice and Human Rights

In this paper, climate-induced migration is examined as a complex and far-reaching consequence of climate change, with forced displacement affecting millions worldwide.

The author notices that although the link between climate change and migration was recognized as early as the first IPCC report in 1990, displacement was only formally included in climate policy frameworks decades later.

A discussion is then presented on the scale and complexity of climate-related displacement, while paying particular attention to small island states and the climate–conflict–displacement nexus.
It reviews the international legal framework for political refugees and highlights the legal gaps that leave climate migrants without adequate protection, alongside recent developments, such as the Global Compact on Migration and the Task Force on Climate Displacement.

The author argues that while existing human rights law offers some protection, it is insufficient to meet the needs of climate migrants. Urgent international action is called for, to establish a dedicated legal regime, emphasizing that major greenhouse gas emitters have a responsibility to support displaced populations, especially those from small island states facing the loss of their homelands.

Learn more about this paper here: https://doi.org/10.4337/jhre.2020.01.04

Reference

Atapattu, S. (2020). Climate change and displacement: protecting ‘climate refugees’ within a framework of justice and human rights. Journal of Human Rights and the Environment, 11(1), 86-113

2020-03-30
Climate Change Impact on Migration, Travel, Travel Destinations and the Tourism Industry

The impact of climate change on migration and travel with implications for public health practice are discussed in this literature review.

How climate change influences migration and travel is examined, and the implications of these processes for public health. Climate change is increasing temperatures, intensifying extreme weather events, and contributing to sea-level rise, which can reduce land productivity, food and water security, and ultimately lead to population displacement. These environmental changes interact with social, economic, and demographic factors to shape migration patterns.

It shows that migrants may face increased risks of communicable and non-communicable diseases due to conditions in their countries of origin, during migration, and in destination settings.

At the same time, growing travel and tourism, combined with climate-driven changes in disease ecology, are expanding the geographic range of vector-borne diseases, including into temperate and high-income regions.

The authors conclude that health systems must be prepared for the public health impacts of climate-related migration and travel. Integrated surveillance, early case detection, and coordinated public health interventions are essential to protect population health and prevent communicable disease outbreaks.

Learn more about this review here: https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taz026

Reference

Semenza, J. C., & Ebi, K. L. (2019). Climate change impact on migration, travel, travel destinations and the tourism industry. Journal of travel medicine, 26(5), taz026

2019-04-12
Human Rights and Climate Displacement and Migration

Initiatives that offer opportunities to develop more effective, practical, and politically viable strategies for addressing climate-related migration are discussed in this article.

It is emphasized how human rights law already provides robust protection for migrants moving under a wide range of circumstances, but climate change is expected to continue increasing both forced displacement and voluntary migration, within countries and across borders.

Migration to urban areas or abroad can reduce pressure on households by easing resource constraints and generating remittances for those who remain behind.

The author argues how the scale of future displacement will largely depend on government action to reduce carbon emissions, strengthen community resilience, mitigate climate risks, and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Learn more about this article here: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315312576-8/human-rights-climate-displacement-migration-alice-thomas?context=ubx&refId=fd54b6b6-464b-4968-b43b-38b71c31bcb6

Reference

Thomas, Alice (2018), “Human rights and climate displacement and migration”,
Routledge Handbook of Human Rights and Climate Governance, 2018 (1), Routledge

2018-12-01
Climate Justice, Migration and Human Rights

This article explains how a human rights – based, multi-stakeholder approach – incorporating corporate social responsibility – has emerged within the framework of climate justice.

Climate justice is presented as a model that envisions international human rights standards implemented in accountable, transparent, and participatory ways. It notes the growing visibility and influence of global climate summits, court decisions, civil society organizations, and action networks in advancing this agenda.

Beyond holding governments and corporations accountable, it explains how climate justice also provides a way to understand migration and human rights, and is also a way to conceptualise path dependencies assessing what climate change-affected migrants and other communities undergo in terms of human rights.

Learn more about this article here: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315622217-4/climate-justice-migration-human-rights-anja-mihr?context=ubx&refId=3124474b-677b-4881-88df-250c483f4986

Reference

Mihr, Anja (2017), “Climate justice, migration and human rights”, Climate Change, Migration and Human Rights, Routledge

2017-12-01
The Human Rights of Climate-Induced Community Relocation

In this paper, the case study of the relocation of Newtok – an Indigenous community in Alaska – as a response to climate change is analyzed, exploring human rights issues surrounding climate-induced planned relocations. Newtok is an example of a coastal community that faces forced relocation due to repeated extreme weather, erosion, and the loss of protective coastal barriers.

The steps taken by federal, state, and tribal governments to support the relocation process are described. However, the absence of designated relocation funding means that agencies must rely on their own budgetary priorities to allocate resources.

The efforts of Newtok’s tribal government and the Newtok Planning Group are presented here as a model for other communities confronting relocation as a long-term climate adaptation strategy.

Learn more about this study here: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315622217-9/human-rights-climate-induced-community-relocation-robin-bronen?context=ubx&refId=1e1dbd60-e8bc-46a9-959f-38dbb81629d4

Reference

Bronen, Robin (2017), “The human rights of climate-induced community relocation”, Climate Change, Migration and Human Rights, Routledge

2017-12-01
State Responsibility to Prevent Climate Displacement

In this article, the issue of climate displacement as one of the most significant humanitarian and human rights challenges of the twenty-first century is considered.

It begins by outlining the global scale of the issue and the particular vulnerabilities faced by people displaced by climate-related hazards, and then proceeds to explore the normative foundations of state responsibility to prevent climate displacement and describes the measures governments can take to fulfill this obligation.

It also emphasizes how poor and marginalized populations are disproportionately affected in all countries.

Conclusions assess how climate displacement requires coordinated legislative, policy, and practical actions across disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and development.

Additionally, it explains how effective prevention must also build on international cooperation, supported by strong domestic legal and policy frameworks at national, regional, and global levels.

Learn more about this article here: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315622217-6/state-responsibility-prevent-climate-displacement-ezekiel-simperingham?context=ubx&refId=258f52a3-86b9-4521-b158-687f4dd3c292

Reference

Simperingham, Ezekiel (2017), “State responsibility to prevent climate displacement”,
Climate Change, Migration and Human Rights, Routledge

2017-12-01
Exploring the Climate Change, Migration and Conflict Nexus

According to the authors of this study, the potential link between climate change, migration, and conflict has been discussed and is increasingly viewed by policy makers as a security issue.

However, considerable uncertainty remains regarding the role that climate variability and change play among the many drivers of migration and conflict.

So, the main objective of this paper became to explore the potential pathways linking climate change, migration and increased risk of conflict.

They review existing literature and explore the potential pathways, breaking the problem into two components: the links between climate change and migration, and those between migration and conflict.

Findings reveal a wide range of views on the importance of climate change as a driver of migration and conflict, and it is argued that future research should look beyond a single linear pathway and consider multiple mechanisms through which climate change may exacerbate conflict.

The article is concluded by proposing five guiding questions to support further research on the climate – migration – conflict nexus.

Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13040443

Reference

Burrows, K., & Kinney, P. L. (2016). Exploring the Climate Change, Migration and Conflict Nexus. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(4), 443

2016-04-22
Climate Justice Without Freedom: Assessing Legal and Political Responses to Climate Change and Forced Migration

As storm surges, flooding, heatwaves, and prolonged drought, as ever more regular features of life under deteriorating climate conditions, are unmistakably violent, and their effects on the lives of vulnerable human populations and ecosystems across the world are devastating.

At the same time, a legal order that denies the victims of such ecological persecution a safe haven, no matter how great its use of force (e.g., detention, arrest, forced return) cannot, by definition, be violent. This assumption is challenged in this paper.

It argues that legal instruments are increasingly used to exclude those displaced by climatic conditions and to deny them sufficient normative status to ensure their safety.

The author calls for a new critical normative understanding of the relationship between climate change, violence, justice, and law, an approach that would reassess the democratic justifications for existing policies and reaffirm the legal and political status of climate-displaced people as equal members of the international community.

Learn more about this paper here: https://doi.org/10.1177/1368431015579967

Reference

Skillington, T. (2015). Climate justice without freedom: Assessing legal and political responses to climate change and forced migration: Assessing legal and political responses to climate change and forced migration. European Journal of Social Theory, 18(3), 288-307

2015-04-22