Type

Book section

Author(s)

Wodon, Q.
Burger, N.
Grant, A.

Title

Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events, and Migration: Review of the Literature for Five Arab Countries

Date

2014

Editor(s)

Piguet, E.
Laczko, F.

Book Title

People on the Move in a Changing Climate. The Regional Impact of Environmental Change on Migration

Publisher

Springer Netherlands

Vol

Volume 2

Abstract

This chapter summarizes some of what is known about climate change in the Arab world and its impact on migration, with a focus on five countries: Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, and Yemen. Migratory movements have a long history in the region, and migration decisions are influenced by a wide range of factors, many of which have nothing to do with climate change. But there is a broad consensus on the fact that factors related to climate change do contribute to migration. Such factors include more extreme weather events such as floods and droughts and the destruction they cause, as well as the effects of climate change on agricultural yields and water scarcity, among others. Understanding how climate patterns already impact migration today is important to inform not only government and other programs to help households cope with and adapt to climate change, but also a wide range of investment decisions which must anticipate future patterns of mobility and settlements. While important gaps in knowledge remain on the extent to which households are affected by climate change in the Arab world and whether climate change and extreme weather events have a large impact on migration decisions, the evidence base has been growing. This literature review summarizes the emerging literature on this topic, including insights from a recent study carried by the World Bank, AFD and Rand.

Citation

Wodon, Q., Burger, N., & Grant, A. (2014). Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events, and Migration: Review of the Literature for Five Arab Countries. In E. Piguet & F. Laczko (Eds.), People on the Move in a Changing Climate. The Regional Impact of Environmental Change on Migration (Volume 2). Springer Netherlands.