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Natural resources modulate the nexus between environmental shocks and human mobility
Michael Brottrager1, Jesus Crespo Cuaresma2,3,4,5, Dominic Kniveton6,7
1Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria.
Nature Communications
|March 14, 2023
Summary
Droughts in Africa increasingly force people to migrate, especially when frequent. Higher-income households show greater resilience to climate shocks, making them less likely to move.
Area of Science:
- Environmental science
- Climate change adaptation
- Human migration studies
Background:
- Natural resource degradation can drive human migration as an adaptation strategy.
- Migration may result from an inability to adapt in-situ, sometimes leading to worse environmental exposures.
- Resource degradation's impacts can limit mobility, creating complex migration dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively assess migration and immobility in continental Africa.
- To examine the role of drought as a driver of resource degradation and mobility.
- To understand the relationship between drought frequency, household income, and migration.
Main Methods:
- Utilized remote sensing data to analyze environmental conditions.
- Integrated population density data for continental Africa.
- Quantitatively assessed the prevalence of migration and immobility in relation to drought.
Main Results:
- Drought's effect on human mobility is amplified by its frequency.
- Higher-income households demonstrate increased resilience to climatic shocks.
- Wealthier households are less inclined to use mobility as an adaptation strategy.
Conclusions:
- Drought frequency is a critical factor influencing migration decisions in Africa.
- Socio-economic status, particularly income, significantly impacts adaptive capacity and mobility choices.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for effective climate change adaptation planning.
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