Environmental Migration (HL) (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS))

Environmental Migration

What is environmental migration?

• Environmental migration is the movement of people due to environmental factors that make living conditions difficult or unsafe

• It is caused by:

  • Sudden-onset events (e.g. floods, storms, fires)

  • Slow-onset events (e.g. desertification, sea-level rise)

Causes of environmental migration

Sudden-onset events

• Flooding:

  • Intense rainfall or rising rivers can force people to leave their homes

  • E.g. Bangladesh experiences regular flooding, displacing thousands of people annually

• Cyclones and storms:

  • Destructive winds and rain can damage homes and infrastructure

  • E.g. Mozambique has faced repeated cyclones in recent years

    • Cyclone Idai (2019) and Cyclone Kenneth (2019) caused widespread devastation and emigration, displacing hundreds of thousands of people

    • Many were forced to migrate internally or across borders due to destroyed homes and agricultural lands

• Forest fires:

  • Wildfires destroy homes, farmland, and infrastructure

  • E.g. widespread wildfires in Australia (2019–2020) forced thousands to evacuate affected regions

Slow-onset events

• Desertification:

  • The spread of arid conditions reduces land fertility, leading to food insecurity

  • E.g. the Sahel region of Africa suffers from desertification, forcing people to migrate to urban centres or across borders

• Sea-level rise:

  • Rising seas increase storm surges and submerge coastal areas, making them uninhabitable

  • E.g. Tuvalu, a Pacific island nation, faces significant migration to New Zealand due to flooding and land loss

• Saltwater inundation:

  • Saltwater intrusion damages agricultural lands, reducing crop production.

  • E.g. in Bangladesh, saltwater intrusion into farmlands forces rural families to migrate to cities

    • Many migrate to Dhaka, creating pressure on urban infrastructure

Impacts of Environmental Migration

• Some impacts of environmental migration include:

• On migrants:

  • Loss of homes, jobs, and communities

  • Increased vulnerability to poverty and exploitation

• On destination areas:

  • Overcrowding in urban areas or neighbouring countries

  • Pressure on housing, jobs, and public services

• On origin areas:

  • Abandonment of farmlands and villages

  • Loss of cultural heritage and traditions