Is climate change a valid reason for migration? Evidence from a conjoint experiment

Abstract

Significant changes in climate that impact livelihoods, physical health, and human security raise the question: Is climate change perceived as a valid criterion for long-term immigration, and if so, by whom and under what circumstances? To address these questions, we conducted a well-powered conjoint experiment with a quota-representative sample of Dutch respondents. Consistent with recent literature, our findings reveal that, in terms of public favorability, climate migrants are perceived more favorably than economic migrants but less favorably than asylum seekers fleeing persecution. Moreover, our results challenge the expectation that political ideology and climate attitudes moderate the favorability toward climate migrants.