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What Matters for Uathns’ Migration Intentions? Exploring Factors Using Push-Pull and Aspirations-Capabilities Framework
Sat, August 8, 4:00 to 5:00pm, TBAAbstract
Globally, climate change and human migration have become major concerns (Boas et al., 2022; Jakobsson, 2021). Rapid-onset disasters such as cyclones can compel people to migrate elsewhere due to the destruction of livelihoods and earning opportunities (Mallick & Vogt, 2014).
Drawing on the ‘push-pull’ theory and ‘aspirations-capabilities’ framework, this research empirically tests research hypotheses using Utah, a state in the Global North, as an example, and situates the case within a broader global context of environmental migration. Utah now boasts one of the most diverse economies in the nation and is ranked No. 1 in the U.S. News Best States rankings for the third consecutive year (U.S. News, 2025). Moreover, the state’s population increased by over 44,000 between 2024 and 2025, driven by 43% net migration (KSL, 2025). However, a state-wide survey in Utah shows that 34% of Utahns believe their households are situated in areas vulnerable to climate change or extreme weather events (Ahmed et al., 2023), and 41% of respondents either somewhat agreed or strongly agreed that they would consider relocating for environmental or climate-related concerns (Ahmed et al., 2025). This means, on the one hand, statistics show that Utah is the number 1 state for its diverse economy; on the other hand, people in Utah are likely to leave the state due to environmental concerns. This strongly supports the case for Utah as an ideal study site to further explore the links between climate vulnerabilities, environmental concern, capabilities, and migration intention. In this research, we use migration intention as a proxy to measure the likelihood of future out-migration from Utah.