Climate-Induced Migration and the Opportunities for Youth

Climate change is real, and its current impact is negatively affecting billions of people and ecosystems around the planet.  It has already caused and will continue to exert a significant impact on natural ecosystems and human life worldwide as record-high temperatures, and flooding becomes normal in day-to-day life. There is a huge concern among nations and current efforts are in process to prevent the planet from warming as it affects people’s livelihoods. More vulnerable groups, especially children, youth and the elderly face heightened risks

Climate change affects basic human rights such as the right to good health, life, food and standard of living.  The unavailability of fresh and adequate water affects their livelihood also leading to huge income losses and pushing people into poverty. The anticipated 2°C temperature rise may cause increased heat stress, leading to a 1.9% reduction in total work hours across G20 nations by 2030. Developing countries are significantly affected, as a majority of the workforce is engaged in services directly dependent on ecosystem services. Negative shocks resulting from changing temperatures and higher rainfall levels, droughts, and even hurricanes can also render entire regions unproductive, making certain places unsuitable for work and livelihood. In response to climate challenges, people employ various adaptive measures, including migration within and across countries or changing occupations. It is crucial to transform the challenges by providing opportunities through upskilling and improved education.

The impact of this is not confined solely to the existing workforce; it also extends and is more crucial to the future workforce. Among the trapped populations are children, who represent the future generation of global youth. Approximately 820 million children are exposed to heatwaves and one-third of all these children are exposed to three or four more climate stresses. This crucially will have tragic effects in the future if it is not immediately addressed. A recent example of climate change’s impact is the flash flood in Himachal Pradesh, India in 2023 which shut schools and colleges. This has led to the residents of villages wanting to move to safer locations. Gurmej Singh, a farm labourer whose two children study in a government school, said “The school is shut for a long time. If I get a chance, I will leave.” Gurmej’s experience is just one of countless others whose livelihoods are at risk because of the effects of climate change. It shows people are concerned about their children's loss of education because of frequent school shutdowns.

Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation are forcing millions of people in these disadvantaged groups to abandon their homes and seek safer, more sustainable living conditions. This movement of people often referred to as "climate migration" or "environmental migration,” poses significant challenges and opportunities for governments, communities, and individuals worldwide. Climate migration emerges as an adaptive measure in the face of climate change, motivating individuals to seek out new geographical locations for opportunities, especially for those who don’t have other safety nets like governmental financial support and access to secondary income sources.

Migration arises from a complex interplay of multiple factors, with one of the key determinants being the shifting climate. Climate change and associated impacts profoundly disrupt household capabilities. More vulnerable and less capable populations face a heightened risk from changing climates, and these individuals are often referred to as "trapped populations." The amalgamation of climate shocks with other variables— such as credit availability, education levels, social networks, distance, legal protocols, and income— shapes household capacities and susceptibilities, influencing the decision to relocate or remain where they are. Numerous research studies have delved into the ramifications of climate change, climate variability, and extreme weather events on migration choices.

Recognising the urgent need for adaptive measures, upskilling and improved education can serve as powerful tools for mitigating challenges by providing opportunities. Finding new and more stable jobs is not easy, especially when an individual does not possess a desired skill set. Income shocks directly due to climate change and indirectly due to events which are caused by climate change encourage people to invest in new skills so they can maintain or find a stable job. Households facing the effects of climate change will strive to mitigate their vulnerability by opting for income diversification. The people who can’t migrate might send their younger household members to urban centres to learn new skills and enrol in education so they can strive for a better and more stable future.

Migration can also act as a channel to improve the social status of trapped households as they send young people to urban areas The new opportunities and better exposure in urban centres help migrants to develop new skills and acquire jobs in more stable occupations. More stable jobs not only help migrants but also help families left behind because of remittances which can act as financial support when extreme events like floods and droughts occur back in origin.

Climate induced migration brings significant losses to individuals, with youth and children facing more severe consequences. Policy responses should prioritize investment in the well-being and development of children and youth, considering their inheritance of a world marked by climate catastrophes. Additionally, these responses should address the complexity of climate migration, recognizing variations across different locations. Policies and initiatives like Bangladesh’s Climate Resilient and Migrant Friendly Town or Mangalajodi Ecotourism are needed to tackle the problem of climate change and its impact on people.

Bangladesh’s climate-resilient and migrant-friendly towns provide climate migrants with many opportunities to learn new skills and get employed in more stable jobs. This plan for climate migrant towns and cities was launched in December 2022 with the aim of converting climate challenges into economic opportunities. These towns attracted people because they provide provisions for better livelihood, housing, education, healthcare and freshwater. They are built by using comparative economic advantage which will help children and youth develop green skills which will be beneficial for stable jobs and help them adapt to climate change. Thus, people who want to move have a better and more sustainable place to move to. The best example of such a town is Mongla in Bangladesh. This town is located 62km north of the Bay of Bengal and is a major port town in Bangladesh which has gone through a drastic transformation in the last decade. The huge infrastructural investment in building flood control gates, better drainage systems, embankments and freshwater treatment has made Mongla one of the climate-resilient towns. These developments have made Mongla the second-largest seaport in Bangladesh which increased the employment opportunities for young labour and boomed the economic growth. These out-migration towns also have schemes to build professional skills other than agriculture, fishery, and horticulture and will help youth to have sustainable skills for the future.

Another initiative, the Mangalajodi Ecotourism initiative is a remarkable effort by the youth-led community to safeguard the Chilika Lake. The Chilika Lake is located in the Khrodha district of the state of Odisha, India. The lake is shrinking due to the effects of climate change, heavy siltation, and dumping of waste which leads people to migrate in search of better opportunities. The Mangalajodi initiative led by youth led to the conservation of groundwater and ecotourism services to protect the ecosystem of the place. The 70 youth were trained for water quality testing and groundwater mapping which helped them to upskill themselves. This initiative not only aids in the development of skills among the youth but also provides them with an incentive to remain rooted and not migrate away from their homeland whenever preferred. The initiative is a great example of youth entrepreneurship and innovation as an adaptation strategy against natural and human-made climate change.

These two initiatives are great examples of adaptive strategies which can help to provide choices to climate-affected people and also at the same time can provide opportunities to youth. These types of policies also lead to regional development and help people tackle the challenges faced by climate change. As we know the youth especially children are vulnerable populations to the impact of climate change, but they can also be the torch bearer for adaptation strategies and measures. In the face of an ever-changing climate, the intertwined stories of climate-induced migration paint a vivid picture of both challenges and opportunities on a global scale. As we navigate the complexities of a warming world, it becomes evident that the effects of climate change are not limited to physical landscapes alone; they ripple through societies, economies, and the aspirations of future generations. Thus, it is important that young people should be made part of the decision-making process as they can act better when are involved. Also, providing them with training on essential skills can help to translate their thoughts and ideas into actions. Finally, governments, stakeholders, businesses and financial institutions should motivate and support youth-led initiatives which provide innovative mechanisms to fight or adapt against climate change.

About the author:

Himani PASRICHA is a PhD student at University College Dublin, Ireland, specializing in Labor and Development Economics. Himani`s research revolves around understanding the dynamics between climate variability, weather shocks, and climate change, and their impact on internal migration decisions in Thailand. She aims to shed light on the complex relationship between environmental factors and human mobility, contributing to our understanding of the consequences of climate change on vulnerable populations. Additionally, she delves into the realm of labour market policies, with a particular focus on how minimum wage policies affect the labour market outcomes of workers employed in the informal and non-compliant sectors. By exploring the interactions between labour market regulations and employment patterns, Himani strives to provide valuable insights into policy effectiveness and its implications for inclusive economic growth. Through her research, she seeks to contribute to evidence-based policy making and address pressing societal challenges at the intersection of labor markets, climate change, and development economics.  

This article is part of the IOM Blog Series: Youth Voices on Migration, Environment and Climate Change