Commentary: Getting out of the climate migration ghetto: Understanding climate degradation and migration as processes of social inequalities

Thomas Faist

doi:10.1111/imig.12793

Abstract

Commentary: Getting out of the climate migration ghetto: Understanding climate degradation and migration as processes of social inequalities

Highlights

It is unproductive to speak of climate migrants or climate refugees because climate change – or climate degradation, as it is called here – is rarely the sole or exclusive mover of migration
As we know, responding to climate destruction depends on the position of agents within a structured hierarchy of power
Current climate degradation is to a large extent anthropogenic and an endogenous process

Summary

Introduction

It is unproductive to speak of climate migrants or climate refugees because climate change – or climate degradation, as it is called here – is rarely the sole or exclusive mover of migration. With respect to changing perceptions of climate degradation, migration needs to be placed in the context of the nexus between social and ecological factors. It is necessary to liberate the relationship between climate degradation and migration from the climate ghetto and place it squarely in the context of social transformation brought about by the exploitation of workers and the subjugation of nature, that is to emphasize the nexus between society and ecology.

Results

Conclusion