A Qualitative Study on How Perceptions of Environmental Changes are Linked to Migration in Morocco, Senegal, and DR Congo

Lore Van Praag,Samuel Lietaer,Caroline Michellier

doi:10.1007/s10745-021-00278-1

Lore Van Praag, Samuel Lietaer + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-021-00278-1

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Abstract

Environmental migration is a growing concern of academics and policymakers, who foresee a rise in the number of such migrants. However, most prevailing academic and policy discourses ignore the variety of perceptions of environmental changes among people living in highly affected areas across the world. We examine the perceptions of environmental changes and how these are seen to be relevant to migration in Senegal, DR Congo, and Morocco. In total, we conducted 410 interviews with people living in two regions in each of these countries. Results indicate differences in the perception of environmental changes across regions, gender, education, and livelihoods. The economic activities of individuals determine exposure and sensitivity to environmental changes, while educational levels increase familiarity with prevailing environmental discourses and policies. Despite country-specific and regional differences across research sites, few people perceived environmental factors as directly related to their own or family members’ migration projects.

Highlights

Awareness of environmental migration has exponentially increased over the last two decades, placing it high on the agenda of both policymakers and academics (McLeman & Gemenne, 2018)
We found considerable variation in perceptions of environmental changes; these variations seemed to depend on both individual factors, including profession and socioeconomic status, age, and gender, and contextual factors, such as the reliance on agricultural activities in the region, local political activities, and policies
The specific migration history and patterns of each region mattered in that migrant networks and policies made people aware of changes in their natural environment, potential adaptation strategies, and alternative ways to manage the adverse impacts of environmental changes

Summary

Introduction

Awareness of environmental migration has exponentially increased over the last two decades, placing it high on the agenda of both policymakers and academics (McLeman & Gemenne, 2018). The automatically assumed relationship between environmental changes and migration is problematic, as views on environmental changes vary considerably depending on contextual and individual factors (Wodon et al, 2014; Jenkins et al, 2018; Van Praag et al, 2021, 2021a; Van Praag et al, 2021b). These policy discourses too frequently assume that migration is only seen to address environmental changes in the end stage of the response to environmental degradation or as a measure of last resort, ignoring all other kinds of adaptation strategies. Migration as a response to environmental changes could be seen as part of a wider process of transformation in which households and migrants, in particular, try to ensure a secure livelihood (Jónsson, 2010) and should be studied together with ongoing societal changes

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