Abstract
Millions of people impacted by climate change actually want to remain in place; these aspirations and respective capabilities need more attention in migration research and climate adaptation policies. Residents at risk may voluntarily stay put, as opposed to being involuntarily trapped, and understanding such subjectivity is empirically challenging. This comment elaborates on “voluntary non-migration” to call attention to a neglected population within the ongoing discourses on climate-induced migration, social equality and human rights. A roadmap for action outlines specific research and policy goals.
Highlights
Climate-induced displacement has become a reality around the world
Most people that face climate risks do not migrate; for example, between 2008 and 2016, approximately 85% of those threatened by natural disasters did not relocate, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) [2] and the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) [3]
Voluntary non-migrants have not been taken into consideration in the policy framework of the UNFCCC Conferences of Parties (COP) up to now, including COP24 [9], some documents highlight “in-situ adaptation” in a more general context [9,10]
Summary
“ . . . I would like to die at my birthplace. You know, when I smell the mud of my home . . . ”. Most people that face climate risks do not migrate; for example, between 2008 and 2016, approximately 85% of those threatened by natural disasters did not relocate, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) [2] and the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) [3]. Some of these individuals may be “trapped” because they lack the means to move [4]. This comment elaborates on voluntary non-migration, to call attention to such neglected populations within the ongoing conversation on climate migration
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