A Threat or an Opportunity? Internal Migration in the Context of Climate Extremes in Pakistan

Abstract

We aim to understand the potential relationship between climate extreme events, displacement, and migration in Pakistan. For this, we conducted 10 in-depth semi-structured interviews and 9 focus group discussions in two districts of Punjab (i.e., Muzaffargarh) and Sindh (i.e., Tharparkar) provinces of Pakistan. The fieldwork was conducted in both rural and urban areas of the sample districts. We employed a thematic approach to explore the links between climate extremes and key migration patterns (such as seasonal, permanent, or circular migration as well as migrant returnees), processes (which include the reasons for migration, cost of travel, network support and settlement in destination areas) and migration outcomes (particularly on migrant’ left-behind household members). We show that climate-induced migration may increase many challenges for the poor, resourceless migrating families that exacerbates food insecurity, social oppression, and indebtedness. Climate-induced migration is an unpleasant phenomenon for women impacting their health, increasing their work burden and mental stresses. Contrasting evidence has also found that showed significant improvement of climate migrant families’ socio-economic conditions overtime. Migrant families can establish small businesses, improve business connections for generating finances, have better opportunities to get private and government jobs, and improved access to microfinance and other government support programmes.