MRS N°33 - Climate Change and Migration: Improving Methodologies to Estimate Flows

Despite the growing awareness of the nexus between climate change and migration, the subject has not yet been explored empirically in a way that generates conclusive results. Climate change might increase migration as people need to search for a living elsewhere, but migration might as well decrease as fewer people can afford to move. Recent empirical studies have found that climate variability and migration are characterized by a non-linear relationship, identifying many other factors influencing the linkage between climate change and migration. Climate change represents only one of the factors influencing migration decisions, while changing migratory behaviour might be just one strategy among a variety of options available to respond to climatically induced stress and shocks.

This study explores the climate change impacts on migratory processes: (a) by outlining the key elements of natural and human-induced climate change of potential relevance to migration; (b) by discussing the current state of debate about the relationship between climate change and migration; and finally (c) by describing possible approaches and methodologies with which to further our understanding of climate change-related migration, such as the New Economics of Labour Migration (NELM), Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA), and the Agent-based Modelling

Also available:

The International Organization for Migration: 1951-2001 - ISBN 9290681187
Trafficking in Persons: An Analysis of Afghanistan - ISBN 9290681764

The International Organization for Migration (IOM)

IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As an intergovernmental body, IOM acts with its partners in the international community to assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration, advance understanding of migration issues, encourage social and economic development through migration and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants.

Our publications focus on topics such as:

International Migration Law (IML)
Migration and Labour
Migration and Developmen
Migration and Environment
Migration Policy Trafficking in human beings
Migration and Health

IOM's flagship publication is its World Migration Report which provides policy makers and the general public with updated and authoritative information on international migration trends; identifies major policy issues as they arise; and discusses available policy options.