ENV203/GEO205: Introduction to Geography

International Organization for

Migration

Geography of Human Migration

Lecture 14

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North South University ENV203/GEO205

What is Human Migration? What is Human Migration?......

Migration (human) is the movement of people from one
place in the world to another for the purpose of taking up • Migration occurs at a variety of scales: intercontinental
permanent or semi permanent residence, usually across a (between continents), intra-continental (between countries
political boundary. on a given continent), and interregional (within countries).

An example of "semi permanent residence" would be the

• One of the most significant migration patterns has been
seasonal movements of migrant farm laborers. People can
rural to urban migration—the movement of people from
either choose to move ("voluntary migration") or be
the countryside to cities in search of opportunities.
forced to move ("involuntary migration").
Migrations have occurred throughout human history,
beginning with the movements of the first human groups
from their origins in East Africa to their current location in
the world. 3 4
 WHAT IS HUMAN MIGRATION?
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV203/GEO205
North South University
Types of Migration……
• Population Transfer: When a government forces a large
group of people out of a region, usually based on ethnicity
or religion. This is also known as an involuntary or forced
migration.
• Impelled Migration (also called "reluctant" migration):
Individuals are not forced out of their country, but leave
because of unfavorable situations such as warfare, political
problems, or religious persecution.
• Step Migration: A series of shorter, less extreme migrations
from a person's place of origin to final destination—such as
moving from a farm, to a village, to a town, and finally to a
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city.
Types of Migration
• Internal Migration: Moving to a new home within a state,
country, or continent.
• External Migration: Moving to a new home in a different
state, country, or continent.
• Emigration: Leaving one country to move to another (e.g.,
the Pilgrims emigrated from England).
• Immigration: Moving into a new country (e.g., the Pilgrims
immigrated to America).
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Types of Migration……
• Chain Migration: A series of migrations within a family or
defined group of people. A chain migration often begins
with one family member who sends money to bring other
family members to the new location.
• Return Migration: The voluntary movements of immigrants
back to their place of origin. This is also known as circular
migration.
• Seasonal Migration: The process of moving for a period of
time in response to labor or climate conditions (e.g., farm
workers following crop harvests or working in cities off-
season.
 Why Do People Migrate?
People move for a variety of reasons. They consider the
Why Do People Migrate?
advantages and disadvantages of staying versus moving, as
well as factors such as distance, travel costs, travel time, Several types of push and pull factors may influence people in
modes of transportation, terrain, and cultural barriers. their movements including:

• Push Factors: Reasons for emigrating (leaving a place) 1. Environmental (e.g., climate, natural disasters)
because of a difficulty (such as a food shortage, war, flood, 2. Political (e.g., war)
etc.). 3. Economic (e.g., work)
4. Cultural (e.g., religious freedom, education)
• Pull Factors: Reasons for immigrating (moving into a place)
because of something desirable (such as a nicer climate,
better food supply, freedom, etc.).
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Impacts of Migration
Impacts of Migration ….
• Human migration affects population patterns and
characteristics, social and cultural patterns and processes, • Expansion Diffusion: Ideas, cultural traits, etc., that move
economies, and physical environments. with people from one place to another but are not lost at
• As people move, their cultural traits and ideas diffuse along the point of origin, such as language.
with them, creating and modifying cultural landscapes.
• Cultural markers: Structures or artifacts (e.g., buildings,
Diffusion: The process through which certain characteristics
spiritual places, architectural styles, signs, etc.) that reflect
(e.g., cultural traits, ideas, disease) spread over space and
the cultures and histories of those who constructed or
through time.
occupy them.
Relocation Diffusion: Ideas, cultural traits, etc. that move
with people from one place to another and do not remain
in the point of origin. 11 12
 Statement of Fact BANGLADESH

BANGLADESH • 1 million people are displaced every year by riverbank

“What is alarming is that a metre rise in sea
level would inundate 18% of our land
mass, directly impacting 11% of our
people...of the billion people expected to
be displaced worldwide by 2050 by
climate change factors…one in every 7
people in Bangladesh, would be a victim”
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erosion (2009 study on Indigenous Adaptation
Strategies of the Riverbank Erosion Displacees in
Bangladesh: A Study of Two Northwestern Riparian
Villages)
• Flooding during July-August 2007 caused 3,363
casualties, affected 10 million people and reduced
crop output by 13%
• Cyclone Sidr (2007) affected 8.7 million people, 1.5
million houses and damaged 4.1 million trees
• Cyclone Aila (2009) displaced 800,000 people; in the 2
worst hit districts (Satkhira and Khulna) 25,928
families are still living in informal camp-like
settlements 14

Assessing the Evidence

Climate Change Vulnerability Index ranked
Bangladesh as the most climate vulnerable
country based on:

– exposure to climate related disasters

– population density
– poverty
– high dependence on agriculture
– low coping capacity of the government

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 MONGA AFFECTED AREAS

Assessing the Evidence: Geography

Population Movement
• 7 major rivers and over 200 smaller rivers
• Long history of internal migration, mostly rural to urban;
seasonal/temporary migration; overseas labour migration • 80% of Bangladesh lies on deltaic floodplains and
has grown manifold in the last 2 decades with over 6 most parts are less than 12 metres above sea level
million Bangladeshi migrants believed to be working • Climate change is expected to exacerbate existing
abroad vulnerabilities:
• Recent figures show that 40% of migrants are from the – Increase in intensity and frequency of floods,
southern coastal districts, indicating that environmental cyclones, storm surges, droughts
factors are playing a role in addition to economic factors -
• Cross-border movements is a sensitive issue: porous
borders, no consensus or conclusive research/evidence on
trends, numbers: over securitization
 Assessing the Evidence: Geography….
Climate change is affecting the movement of people in the
following 3 ways in Bangladesh:
1. Intensification of natural disasters (both sudden and
slow onset)
• flashfloods, monsoon floods, cyclones, riverbank
erosion, drought are all a recurring problem for
Bangladesh
• Between 2009 and 2010, Bangladesh has experienced
one major cyclone and two major floods, displacing a
reported total of 1,642,000 people
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Assessing the Evidence: Geography….
3. Urbanization: Competition over scarce resources potentially
leading to tensions, conflict and further displacement:
• Dhaka is amongst the top 20 mega cities with an growth
rate of 4.10% - one of the highest growth rates after Delhi
and Karachi;
• Rapid and unplanned urbanization – Dhaka faces severe
threats in terms of ability to cope with disasters (floods,
earthquakes), health hazards (slums, sewage disposal) and
food security – 3 million or 1 in 4 of Dhaka’s population live
in slums;
• Dhaka faces severe energy and water crises in trying to
accommodate the displaced people by environmental and
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climate factors.
Assessing the Evidence: Geography….
2. Rising sea levels making coastal areas
uninhabitable
• Increased salinity in the coastal areas
impacting on the agricultural ability of
the land.
• Increased salinity is affecting the fish
production in the region
• Loss of traditional livelihoods leading
to other forms of livelihoods such as
shrimp farming which further
contribute to environmental
degradation
• Coastal erosion - the island Kutubdia
which once stretched over a landmass
of 250 square kilometers, has been
reduced to just 37 square kilometers
within a century, and more than half of
the population has been forced to
leave. 22
Assessing the Evidence
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 Environmental Migration & Displacement:
Human Insecurity
Climate Change and
Environmental Degradation
Displacement and Migration
Human insecurity issues Rapid and unplanned urbanization
Climate Change and Health
Direct and Indirect Health Impact
• The emerging evidence of climate change effects on human
health (IPCC 2007) shows that climate change has:
– altered the distribution of some infectious disease vectors
– altered the seasonal distribution of some allergenic pollen
species
Climate change is projected to increase the burden of
diarrheal diseases in low-income regions by approximately 2%
to 5% in 2020
Bangladesh is already facing increasing frequency of heat
waves, variable precipitation , malnutrition, different vector-
borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, etc. 27
Climate Change and Food Security
• Agriculture comprises approximately 20% of Bangladesh’s
GDP and employs about 45% of the total labour force
• In the coastal regions of Bangladesh, crop yields,
particularly rice yields are on the decline
• In the northern parts of the country, increasing frequency
and intensity of droughts are affecting the availability of
water which is subsequently affecting the production of
rice
• IPCC predicts that production of rice may drop by 10 per
cent and wheat by one-third in Bangladesh by 2050
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Assessing the Evidence
Existing Policies and Programmes
• GOB invested over US$10 billion in the last 3 decades on
climate resilient and disaster reduction programmes
• GOB has established a National Climate Change Fund with
an initial capital of US$45 million, and a Multi Donor Trust
Fund of US$150 million
• Plans to adopt a National Climate Change Policy
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 Assessing the Evidence
What does evidence tell us?
Existing Policies and Programmes
Gaps and Policy Priorities
Recommendations
• Need for further research to ensure informed and evidence
Climate Change and Migration
policy and programme intervention
• Migration is NOT effectively mainstreamed with
environmental, disaster management or climate change • Raise policy and public awareness on the complex linkages
policy between migration, the environment and climate change
• The recognition of migration as a viable adaptation
strategy
• Mapping of environmental and climate vulnerable areas
• Lack of collaboration and coordination amongst all
stakeholders
• Develop policy coherence at national level - mainstream
• Gaps in policy and research
migration across all relevant sectors
• Lack of a comprehensive regional approach to climate
change and migration [in SAARC]. 29 30

Recommendations……

• Minimize forced migration – facilitate managed migration

as a viable adaptation strategy
• Adopt national policy for planned urban development –
national migration management to ensure balanced
mobility/resettlement.
• Create alternative livelihoods where traditional livelihoods
are affected; imperative to reduce rural-urban migration
(e.g. through relocation of small scale industries to rural
areas, environmentally sustainable shrimp farming, etc).

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