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Exploring the Climate Change, Migration and Conflict Nexus

Author

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  • Kate Burrows

    (Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10024, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Patrick L. Kinney

    (Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10024, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

The potential link between climate change, migration, and conflict has been widely 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. The overall objective of this paper is to explore the potential pathways linking climate change, migration and increased risk of conflict. We review the existing literature surrounding this issue and break the problem into two components: the links between climate change and migration, and those between migration and conflict. We found a large range of views regarding the importance of climate change as a driver for increasing rates of migration and subsequently of conflict. We argue that future research should focus not only on the climate-migration-conflict pathway but also work to understand the other pathways by which climate variability and change might exacerbate conflict. We conclude by proposing five questions to help guide future research on the link between climate change, migration, and conflict.

Suggested Citation

  • Kate Burrows & Patrick L. Kinney, 2016. "Exploring the Climate Change, Migration and Conflict Nexus," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2016:i:4:p:443-:d:68795
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Murat Bayar & Mustafa M. Aral, 2019. "An Analysis of Large-Scale Forced Migration in Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Wiederkehr, Charlotte & Ide, Tobias & Seppelt, Ralf & Hermans, Kathleen, 2022. "It’s all about politics: Migration and resource conflicts in the global south," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    3. Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag & Philippe Burny & Ioan Banatean-Dunea & Dacinia Crina Petrescu, 2022. "How Climate Change Science Is Reflected in People’s Minds. A Cross-Country Study on People’s Perceptions of Climate Change," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-25, April.
    4. Adrian Cashman & David Yawson, 2019. "Water, Livelihoods, and Migration in SIDS: Climate Change and Future Prospects for Carriacou, West Indies," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-22, November.
    5. Oakes, Robert & Van der Geest, Kees & Schraven, Benjamin & Adaawen, Stephen & Ayeb‐Karlsson, Sonja & de Sherbinin, Alexander & Etzold, Benjamin & Groth, Juliane & Hermanns, Kathleen & Lakeman, Silvana, 2023. "A future agenda for research on climate change and human mobility," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 61(5), pages 116-125.
    6. Rebecca Parrish & Tim Colbourn & Paolo Lauriola & Giovanni Leonardi & Shakoor Hajat & Ariana Zeka, 2020. "A Critical Analysis of the Drivers of Human Migration Patterns in the Presence of Climate Change: A New Conceptual Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-20, August.
    7. Xu, Hui & Deng, Huai, 2024. "Short-term impact of climate change on labor market in China: Quantitative spatial analysis based on an oligopsony model," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    8. Bertinelli,Luisito & Comertpay,Rana & Maystadt,Jean-François, 2022. "Refugees, Diversity and Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10052, The World Bank.
    9. Federica Cappelli & Caterina Conigliani & Davide Consoli & Valeria Costantini & Elena Paglialunga, 2023. "Climate change and armed conflicts in Africa: temporal persistence, non-linear climate impact and geographical spillovers," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 40(2), pages 517-560, July.
    10. Hussam Hussein & Fatine Ezbakhe, 2023. "The Water–Employment–Migration nexus: Buzzword or useful framework?," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 41(3), May.
    11. Maya Moore & Dennis Wesselbaum, 2023. "Climatic factors as drivers of migration: a review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 2955-2975, April.

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