What criteria define a successful adaptation to climate change through migration?

A new study conducted by an international team of researchers from Africa, Asia, and Europe has proposed three criteria for evaluating the success of migration as a form of adaptation to climate change: well-being, equity, and sustainability.

The study highlights that while migration is increasingly recognized as an effective strategy for dealing with climate risks, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

For example, remittances, which include the transfer of money, ideas, skills, and goods between migrants and their places of origin, are often seen as crucial for facilitating adaptation to climate change.

However, the research reveals that while remittances can improve the material well-being of families and households in the migrants’ places of origin, this often comes at the expense of the well-being of the migrants themselves.

In Bangladesh, for instance, migrants are often excluded from urban structures and services, which has negative implications for their living conditions, income security, and ability to support their families back home.

Dr. Lucy Szaboova, the lead author of the study from the University of Exeter, emphasizes that relying solely on individual migrants to predict and respond to future risks is problematic and can undermine the success of adaptation.

The study reveals that migration can create tensions within and between well-being, equity, and sustainability. Different social characteristics, such as age, gender, and ethnicity, can result in unequal outcomes for migrants.

While remittances may benefit the overall financial well-being of households, it can lead to increased work burden and challenges for female household members, which can ultimately undermine the success of migration as adaptation.

The researchers suggest that evaluations of the success of migration as adaptation should consider the well-being of migrants, their households, family members in places of origin, and the host society. They also emphasize the importance of recognizing the long-term implications of migration for adaptation success.

To address tensions and ensure the success of migration as adaptation, the researchers propose creating an enabling policy environment that includes participatory urban planning and deliberative approaches to ensure the inclusion of diverse perspectives in building safe, sustainable, and resilient cities.