Running in quicksand: Environmental change, migration, and the policy imperatives

Abstract

Environmental change increasingly effects internal and external patterns of human movement around the globe. Whether due to loss of livelihood from rising sea waters, degradation of arable land, or increased frequency and severity of storms, people are on the move. This article looks at environmental factors driving this new wave of migrants and provides a set of 'guiding principles' for policymakers, international institutions, NGOs, academia, and the think tank community to create new policies, and the obstacles they may face in implementation.