Towards a Holistic Approach to Explaining the Environment–Migration Nexus

• In Event: Environmental Sociology Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 6: Migration, Mobility, and Retreat

Abstract

Climate change and environmental issues have long been impacting people’s life decisions, including migration decisions. There is a growing trend in research investigating the relationship between environment and migration across many contexts; yet, significant gaps persist due to the complexity and context-dependency of this interaction. To fill this gap and advance the literature, we sought to offer a holistic approach in this study to explain the complex nexus between the environment and migration through reviewing existing literature. Through this holistic approach, we explain how climate change and climate-related extreme weather events influence human mobility decisions for temporarily/permanently and internally/internationally across various contexts in more developed and less developed countries, and how intervening variables, such as intersectionality, social networks, aspirations, capabilities, and social inequality, influence this decision-making. Not everyone, in every context, can decide or be able to migrate elsewhere due to these intervening variables. Consequently, women, children, the elderly, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to have their migratory decision-making hindered by
these structural impediments, even if they face environmental challenges in their place. We advocate for additional context-specific, cross-national, and longitudinal research that rigorously investigates the connection between environment and migration, considering local and broader socio-structural intervening variables that may facilitate or hinder effective relocation. Furthermore, policymakers should implement a more tailored support system, enhance local adaptive capacities, and ensure sustainable development so that people can adapt in their places, especially for individuals who wish to relocate but are unable to, those who choose to stay, and
those who wish to return to their place.

Authors

• Mufti Nadimul Quamar Ahmed, Utah State University

• Shah Md Atiqul Haq, Department of Sociology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh