Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2005 Mar;26(4):273-302.
doi: 10.1007/s11111-005-3343-x.

Migration and Environmental Hazards

Lori M Hunter  1
Affiliations

Migration and Environmental Hazards

Lori M Hunter. Popul Environ. 2005 Mar.

Abstract

Losses due to natural hazards (e.g., earthquakes, hurricanes) and technological hazards (e.g., nuclear waste facilities, chemical spills) are both on the rise. One response to hazard-related losses is migration, with this paper offering a review of research examining the association between migration and environmental hazards. Using examples from both developed and developing regional contexts, the overview demonstrates that the association between migration and environmental hazards varies by setting, hazard types, and household characteristics. In many cases, however, results demonstrate that environmental factors play a role in shaping migration decisions, particularly among those most vulnerable. Research also suggests that risk perception acts as a mediating factor. Classic migration theory is reviewed to offer a foundation for examination of these associations.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Abramovitz J. Worldwatch Paper. Washington DC: Worldwatch Institute; 2001. Unnatural Disasters; p. 158.
    1. Alexander . Confronting Catastrophe. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2000.
    1. Bartlett JG, Mageean DM, O’Connor RJ. Residential Expansion as a Continental Threat to U.S. Coastal Ecosystems. Population and Environment: A Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies. 21(5):429–468. (Year)
    1. Bilsborrow RE. Environmental Change and Security Project Report. Vol. 8. The Woodrow Wilson Center; 2002. Migration, Population change, and the Rural Environment; pp. 69–94.
    1. Blackwood LG, Carpenter EH. The importance of anti-urbanism in determining residential preferences and migration patterns. Rural Sociology. 1978;43(1):31–47.