4.2
Complex Drivers
Even when people make the difficult decision to leave home, their migration is rarely driven by climate hazards alone.
4.2
Complex Drivers
Even when people make the difficult decision to leave home, their migration is rarely driven by climate hazards alone.
4.2
Complex Drivers
Even when people make the difficult decision to leave home, their migration is rarely driven by climate hazards alone.
Climate change influences people’s decision to migrate in deeply personal and complex ways. Climate impacts often play a role in considering future migration, but people are also influenced by other factors like family connections and economic opportunity.
Climate change influences people’s decision to migrate in deeply personal and complex ways. Climate impacts often play a role in considering future migration, but people are also influenced by other factors like family connections and economic opportunity.
Climate change influences people’s decision to migrate in deeply personal and complex ways. Climate impacts often play a role in considering future migration, but people are also influenced by other factors like family connections and economic opportunity.
Figure 1
Family and economic reasons are top of mind for people leaving home across the region.
Question: What were the main reasons you left your place of origin?
Source: GCCMI Survey data, 2024. Based on surveys in 14 communities across 6 countries in the Greater Caribbean region.
Figure 1
Family and economic reasons are top of mind for people leaving home across the region.
Question: What were the main reasons you left your place of origin?
Source: GCCMI Survey data, 2024. Based on surveys in 14 communities across 6 countries in the Greater Caribbean region.
Figure 1
Family and economic reasons are top of mind for people leaving home across the region.
Question: What were the main reasons you left your place of origin?
Source: GCCMI Survey data, 2024. Based on surveys in 14 communities across 6 countries in the Greater Caribbean region.
Figure 2
Climate mobility is not a distant future. Climate impacts are already playing a role in people's decision to move.
Question: How much does the impact of climate change factor into your decision or consideration to move?
It is the main reason
It is one of the main reasons
It plays a small role in my decision
I haven't considered it
It doesn't influence it
Don't know / refuse to answer
Source: GCCMI Survey data, 2024. Based on surveys in 14 communities across 6 countries in the Greater Caribbean region.
Figure 2
Climate mobility is not a distant future. Climate impacts are already playing a role in people's decision to move.
Question: How much does the impact of climate change factor into your decision or consideration to move?
It is the main reason
It is one of the main reasons
It plays a small role in my decision
I haven't considered it
It doesn't influence it
Don't know / refuse to answer
Source: GCCMI Survey data, 2024. Based on surveys in 14 communities across 6 countries in the Greater Caribbean region.
Figure 2
Climate mobility is not a distant future. Climate impacts are already playing a role in people's decision to move.
Question: How much does the impact of climate change factor into your decision or consideration to move?
It is the main reason
It is one of the main reasons
It plays a small role in my decision
I haven't considered it
It doesn't influence it
Don't know / refuse to answer
Source: GCCMI Survey data, 2024. Based on surveys in 14 communities across 6 countries in the Greater Caribbean region.
Communities in Colombia and Suriname are most likely to list climate change as their main motivation for movement. However, even in these cases, climate change is amplifying existing social, economic and environmental drivers.
For instance, changing rainfall patterns that interact with environmental degradation from mining, increase the impact of flood events for Suriname’s Indigenous Wayana community. This reduces their adaptive capacity by limiting access to natural resources they traditionally rely on.
Climate shocks can be a tipping point within underlying migration and demographic trends. In 2019, displacement due to Hurricane Dorian in The Bahamas occurred in a context where insufficient government support for public services like education and healthcare was already driving movement from Grand Bahama to Nassau. [1] For affected communities, the decision to relocate is usually motivated by new shocks but also by prospects for job opportunities and the chance to join family members who have already moved.
Communities in Colombia and Suriname are most likely to list climate change as their main motivation for movement. However, even in these cases, climate change is amplifying existing social, economic and environmental drivers.
For instance, changing rainfall patterns that interact with environmental degradation from mining, increase the impact of flood events for Suriname’s Indigenous Wayana community. This reduces their adaptive capacity by limiting access to natural resources they traditionally rely on.
Climate shocks can be a tipping point within underlying migration and demographic trends. In 2019, displacement due to Hurricane Dorian in The Bahamas occurred in a context where insufficient government support for public services like education and healthcare was already driving movement from Grand Bahama to Nassau. [1] For affected communities, the decision to relocate is usually motivated by new shocks but also by prospects for job opportunities and the chance to join family members who have already moved.
Communities in Colombia and Suriname are most likely to list climate change as their main motivation for movement. However, even in these cases, climate change is amplifying existing social, economic and environmental drivers.
For instance, changing rainfall patterns that interact with environmental degradation from mining, increase the impact of flood events for Suriname’s Indigenous Wayana community. This reduces their adaptive capacity by limiting access to natural resources they traditionally rely on.
Climate shocks can be a tipping point within underlying migration and demographic trends. In 2019, displacement due to Hurricane Dorian in The Bahamas occurred in a context where insufficient government support for public services like education and healthcare was already driving movement from Grand Bahama to Nassau. [1] For affected communities, the decision to relocate is usually motivated by new shocks but also by prospects for job opportunities and the chance to join family members who have already moved.
SPOTLIGHT
Young people are already on the move throughout the Greater Caribbean, many motivated by the pursuit of education and employment. Climate change is exacerbating these trends. Youth are more sensitive to climate disruptions to the local economy and to social services such as education and healthcare.The departure of youth has sweeping impacts. In Costa Rica, climate-related youth out-migration from rural areas has undermined the transfer of knowledge of traditional farming practices from one generation to the next. In Suriname, youth out-migration affected community perceptions of mobility. For Wayana Indigenous peoples, moving away from the interior has traditionally been viewed as a temporary life choice. However, this traditional pattern of economic migration by younger generations is compounded by newer forms of climate-related “survival” migration. As a result, Indigenous elders have grown wary that mobility could become a catalyst for the dissolution of the community.
SPOTLIGHT
Young people are already on the move throughout the Greater Caribbean, many motivated by the pursuit of education and employment. Climate change is exacerbating these trends. Youth are more sensitive to climate disruptions to the local economy and to social services such as education and healthcare.The departure of youth has sweeping impacts. In Costa Rica, climate-related youth out-migration from rural areas has undermined the transfer of knowledge of traditional farming practices from one generation to the next. In Suriname, youth out-migration affected community perceptions of mobility. For Wayana Indigenous peoples, moving away from the interior has traditionally been viewed as a temporary life choice. However, this traditional pattern of economic migration by younger generations is compounded by newer forms of climate-related “survival” migration. As a result, Indigenous elders have grown wary that mobility could become a catalyst for the dissolution of the community.
SPOTLIGHT
Young people are already on the move throughout the Greater Caribbean, many motivated by the pursuit of education and employment. Climate change is exacerbating these trends. Youth are more sensitive to climate disruptions to the local economy and to social services such as education and healthcare.The departure of youth has sweeping impacts. In Costa Rica, climate-related youth out-migration from rural areas has undermined the transfer of knowledge of traditional farming practices from one generation to the next. In Suriname, youth out-migration affected community perceptions of mobility. For Wayana Indigenous peoples, moving away from the interior has traditionally been viewed as a temporary life choice. However, this traditional pattern of economic migration by younger generations is compounded by newer forms of climate-related “survival” migration. As a result, Indigenous elders have grown wary that mobility could become a catalyst for the dissolution of the community.
References
Focus group participant, Bahamas
References
Focus group participant, Bahamas
References
Focus group participant, Bahamas
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