4.1
Leaving Home
In the face of climate change, migration is often an option of last resort.
4.1
Leaving Home
In the face of climate change, migration is often an option of last resort.
4.1
Leaving Home
In the face of climate change, migration is often an option of last resort.
The decision to leave home is not taken lightly. Migration in the face of climate change is generally experienced as an upheaval and is rarely if ever desired.
The decision to leave home is not taken lightly. Migration in the face of climate change is generally experienced as an upheaval and is rarely if ever desired.
The decision to leave home is not taken lightly. Migration in the face of climate change is generally experienced as an upheaval and is rarely if ever desired.
How people view migration in the context of climate change depends on how it might improve their lives and the degree of choice they have in the decision to move. In the Bahamas, years of emigrating for work and education have shaped a pragmatic outlook on migration that often simply comes down to “improving your way of life”. [1] This has a different connotation than migration out of “necessity” due to climate shocks. Similar distinctions are echoed by Barbudans who conceptualize current forms of climate-related “migration” separately from past forms of “emigration:”
How people view migration in the context of climate change depends on how it might improve their lives and the degree of choice they have in the decision to move. In the Bahamas, years of emigrating for work and education have shaped a pragmatic outlook on migration that often simply comes down to “improving your way of life”. [1] This has a different connotation than migration out of “necessity” due to climate shocks. Similar distinctions are echoed by Barbudans who conceptualize current forms of climate-related “migration” separately from past forms of “emigration:”
How people view migration in the context of climate change depends on how it might improve their lives and the degree of choice they have in the decision to move. In the Bahamas, years of emigrating for work and education have shaped a pragmatic outlook on migration that often simply comes down to “improving your way of life”. [1] This has a different connotation than migration out of “necessity” due to climate shocks. Similar distinctions are echoed by Barbudans who conceptualize current forms of climate-related “migration” separately from past forms of “emigration:”
"Barbuda has a history of emigration where a lot of people, once they reach a certain age, go to the UK or the US and send money back home. It's an important part of Barbuda's history. So, it all depends on how we distinguish between migration and emigration. Emigration is part of our history and migration is more of a necessity…This concept of home is the difference between emigration and migration. You can emigrate knowing that you always have a home to come back to. In the case of climate-forced migration, the home no longer exists."
Focus group participant, Antigua and Barbuda
"Barbuda has a history of emigration where a lot of people, once they reach a certain age, go to the UK or the US and send money back home. It's an important part of Barbuda's history. So, it all depends on how we distinguish between migration and emigration. Emigration is part of our history and migration is more of a necessity…This concept of home is the difference between emigration and migration. You can emigrate knowing that you always have a home to come back to. In the case of climate-forced migration, the home no longer exists."
Focus group participant, Antigua and Barbuda
"Barbuda has a history of emigration where a lot of people, once they reach a certain age, go to the UK or the US and send money back home. It's an important part of Barbuda's history. So, it all depends on how we distinguish between migration and emigration. Emigration is part of our history and migration is more of a necessity…This concept of home is the difference between emigration and migration. You can emigrate knowing that you always have a home to come back to. In the case of climate-forced migration, the home no longer exists."
Focus group participant, Antigua and Barbuda
While “emigration” is viewed as a means to preserve home, “migration” is seen as a result of the climate-related loss of “home.” For example, Costa Ricans use mobility as a strategy to eventually build upon their home:
While “emigration” is viewed as a means to preserve home, “migration” is seen as a result of the climate-related loss of “home.” For example, Costa Ricans use mobility as a strategy to eventually build upon their home:
While “emigration” is viewed as a means to preserve home, “migration” is seen as a result of the climate-related loss of “home.” For example, Costa Ricans use mobility as a strategy to eventually build upon their home:
"So, if the conditions aren't right here, to live the way we want, to have a quality life, we look elsewhere. A lot of people come back with resources, they buy and extend their part of the farm, they build their own house, they buy their car and thus improve their living conditions.”
Focus group participant, Costa Rica
"So, if the conditions aren't right here, to live the way we want, to have a quality life, we look elsewhere. A lot of people come back with resources, they buy and extend their part of the farm, they build their own house, they buy their car and thus improve their living conditions.”
Focus group participant, Costa Rica
"So, if the conditions aren't right here, to live the way we want, to have a quality life, we look elsewhere. A lot of people come back with resources, they buy and extend their part of the farm, they build their own house, they buy their car and thus improve their living conditions.”
Focus group participant, Costa Rica
For farmers in Costa Rica and elsewhere in the Greater Caribbean, moving away for part of the year enables families to maintain homesteads and land connections. Without support to adapt their farming practices, however, they can become dependent on such migration cycles. A farmer’s harvest can become conditional on securing resources from remittances through temporary migration during other months of the year. As climate impacts make farmers’ livelihoods increasingly precarious, they could become easy prey for unscrupulous recruiters and traffickers as well as organized crime delivering them into exploitative working conditions. Safe and regular pathways are needed to preserve and support circular migration as a livelihood strategy in the context of the climate crisis.
For farmers in Costa Rica and elsewhere in the Greater Caribbean, moving away for part of the year enables families to maintain homesteads and land connections. Without support to adapt their farming practices, however, they can become dependent on such migration cycles. A farmer’s harvest can become conditional on securing resources from remittances through temporary migration during other months of the year. As climate impacts make farmers’ livelihoods increasingly precarious, they could become easy prey for unscrupulous recruiters and traffickers as well as organized crime delivering them into exploitative working conditions. Safe and regular pathways are needed to preserve and support circular migration as a livelihood strategy in the context of the climate crisis.
For farmers in Costa Rica and elsewhere in the Greater Caribbean, moving away for part of the year enables families to maintain homesteads and land connections. Without support to adapt their farming practices, however, they can become dependent on such migration cycles. A farmer’s harvest can become conditional on securing resources from remittances through temporary migration during other months of the year. As climate impacts make farmers’ livelihoods increasingly precarious, they could become easy prey for unscrupulous recruiters and traffickers as well as organized crime delivering them into exploitative working conditions. Safe and regular pathways are needed to preserve and support circular migration as a livelihood strategy in the context of the climate crisis.
References
Focus group participant, Bahamas
References
Focus group participant, Bahamas
References
Focus group participant, Bahamas
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