Environmental Disasters and Migration

17 Pages Posted: 12 Oct 2015

See all articles by Linguère Mbaye

Linguère Mbaye

IZA

Klaus F. Zimmermann

Global Labor Organization (GLO); UNU-MERIT; Maastricht University, Department of Economics; Free University Berlin; University of Bonn; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); Journal of Population Economics

Abstract

This paper reviews the effect of environmental disasters on migration. Although there is an increase of environmental disasters and migration over the past years, the relationship is complex. While some authors find that environmental disasters increase migration, others show that they have only a marginal or no effect or are even negative. Migration appears to be an insurance mechanism against environmental shocks. Remittances help to decrease households' vulnerability to shocks but also dampen their adverse effects. Finally, we discuss policy implications and future research avenues.

Keywords: environmental shocks, forced migration, remittances, migration as insurance, floods, earthquakes, droughts

JEL Classification: J61, O15, Q54, Q56

Suggested Citation

Mbaye, Linguère and Zimmermann, Klaus F., Environmental Disasters and Migration. IZA Discussion Paper No. 9349, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2672135 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2672135

Klaus F. Zimmermann

Global Labor Organization (GLO) ( email )

Bonn
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://https://glabor.org/

UNU-MERIT ( email )

Keizer Karelplein 19
Maastricht, 6211TC
Netherlands

Maastricht University, Department of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 616
Maastricht, Limburg 6200MD
Netherlands

University of Bonn

Postfach 2220
Bonn, D-53012
Germany

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Journal of Population Economics

Tiergartenstr. 17
D-69121 Heidelberg
Germany

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