A Critical Analysis of the Drivers of Human Migration Patterns in the Presence of Climate Change: A New Conceptual Model

Rebecca Parrish, Tim Colbourn, Paolo Lauriola, Giovanni Leonardi, Shakoor Hajat and Ariana Zeka
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Rebecca Parrish: Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
Tim Colbourn: Institute for Global Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
Paolo Lauriola: Institute of Clinical Physiology, Italian National Research Council, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Giovanni Leonardi: Department of Public Health, Environments and Society; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
Shakoor Hajat: Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
Ariana Zeka: Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-20

Abstract: Both climate change and migration present key concerns for global health progress. Despite this, a transparent method for identifying and understanding the relationship between climate change, migration and other contextual factors remains a knowledge gap. Existing conceptual models are useful in understanding the complexities of climate migration, but provide varying degrees of applicability to quantitative studies, resulting in non-homogenous transferability of knowledge in this important area. This paper attempts to provide a critical review of climate migration literature, as well as presenting a new conceptual model for the identification of the drivers of migration in the context of climate change. It focuses on the interactions and the dynamics of drivers over time, space and society. Through systematic, pan-disciplinary and homogenous application of theory to different geographical contexts, we aim to improve understanding of the impacts of climate change on migration. A brief case study of Malawi is provided to demonstrate how this global conceptual model can be applied into local contextual scenarios. In doing so, we hope to provide insights that help in the more homogenous applications of conceptual frameworks for this area and more generally.

Keywords: climate change adaptation; migration; climate migration; environmental migration; migration typology; global health; planetary health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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