The Differential Influence of Geographic Isolation on Environmental Migration: A Study of Internal Migration Amidst Degrading Conditions in the Central Pacific

Compelled and constrained migration: restrictions to migration agency in the Marshall Islands

Migration as adaptation implies agency, yet environmental and non-environmental factors and their interactions may limit the availability of adaptation options, including migration. This study investigates migration agency in the Marshall Islands, particularly the role of geographic isolation and climate change. Interviews with internal migrants living in Majuro and members of government and civil society reveal how social, economic, cultural, and environmental factors shape migration contexts. Results suggest that geographic isolation-related factors may increase likelihoods of simultaneously more compelled and more constrained moves, particularly as climate change impacts increase. Climate change-related impacts on resource-dependent livelihoods may compel migration in search of new economic opportunities. However, worsening environmental conditions may also exacerbate cost-related migration constraints by reducing the resources available to support migration.

Geographic Isolation and Vulnerability Across Peru's Ecological Regions: The Influence of Regional Contexts of Extraction

Geographically isolated places are often sites of exported environmental risks, intense resource extraction, exploitation and marginalization, and social policy neglect. These conditions create unique challenges related to vulnerability and adaptation that have direct disaster management implications. Our research investigates the relationship between geographic isolation and flood-related social vulnerability across Peru's ecological regions. Ecoregions have different relationships with colonialism and capitalism that shape vulnerability, and we hypothesize that the relationship between vulnerability and geographic isolation varies across ecoregions. Using mapping techniques and spatial regression analysis, we find that relationships between vulnerability and geographic isolation vary regionally, with differences that suggest alignment with regional contexts of extraction. We find notable differences in vulnerability related to public health infrastructure and access to services and between ecoregions with sharply contrasting histories of natural resource extraction and investment and disinvestment.

Do Resettled People Adapt to Their Current Geographical Environment? Evidence from Poverty-Stricken Areas of Northwest Yunnan Province, China

The geographical environment adaptation of the resettled population is a deep-seated problem that determines whether the goal of the poverty alleviation resettlement (PAR) policy can be achieved. Scientific assessment of adaptive capacity (AC) and adaptation level (AL) provides a basis for subsequent policy formulation, which is of practical significance. This study took the poverty-stricken areas of northwest Yunnan as the study area and calculated the adaptive capacity index (ACI) and adaptation level index (ALI) based on survey data of 1002 resettled households and regional socioeconomic statistics by constructing the vulnerability as expected poverty (VEP) model and multi-factor analysis model. The results showed that (1) The ACI and ALI were 0.660 and 61.2 respectively, indicating that the resettled population has obvious environment adaptation barriers and a relatively high risk of returning to poverty. (2) The AC and AL of the resettled population had significant geographical differentiation. In general, Diqing Prefecture was significantly better than Nujiang Prefecture and the problems in Gongshan County, Fugong County and Lanping County were more prominent. (3) AC is a determinant of AL. However, these two indices in Gongshan and Lanping counties deviated from the general trend due to different policy effects. Based on the evaluation results and differentiation mechanism analysis, the study finally emphasized the importance of formulating and implementing the follow-up development plan of the resettled population and put forward measures to promote the resettled population to adapt to the geographical environment around the three core tasks of employment income increase, public service and bottom guarantee.

Silver linings around dark clouds: Tourism, Covid-19 and a return to traditional values, villages and the vanua

The global pandemic has adversely affected tourism globally, particularly in small island states heavily dependent on tourism. The closure of borders to regular flights for over a year in places such as Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands and Vanuatu, where this research was undertaken, has resulted in massive job losses. Many tourism employees have left the once-bustling tourist hubs, returning to villages and family settlements. Such clear urban to rural migration behaviours do not dominate movement patterns in the Pacific, but are an important and enduring strategy when shocks strike. In the case of the pandemic-induced migration to villages, former tourism workers have had to engage in a complicated process of adapting to the communal setting, employing new - as well as traditional - strategies to sustain a livelihood. Thus, this paper will discuss how the pandemic has influenced return migration patterns in the Pacific, and the implications of this shift. Findings suggest that, despite their financial struggles, people have adapted to life in their ancestral homes by rekindling their relationships with kin and increasing their engagement on their customary land. They have relearned about traditional Indigenous knowledge, diversified their skills and reconnected with their social and ecological systems. This spiritual homecoming observed in the Pacific ultimately shows that there can be silver linings to the dark clouds of the current disorder.

Environmental Displacement and Mental Well-Being in Banjarnegara, Indonesia

BACKGROUND

Residential moves (displacement) owing to climate- and weather-related disasters may significantly impact mental health. Despite the growing risk from climate change, health impacts of environmental-mobility remain understudied.

OBJECTIVES

We assessed the effects of displacement on the association between landslides and changes in perceived mental well-being in Banjarnegara, Indonesia. We also investigated whether sociodemographics (age, sex, level of education, household-level income, or employment in agriculture) and landslide characteristics (number and severity of landslides) were associated with differing odds of relocation after experiencing landslides.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, we surveyed 420 individuals who experienced landslides between 2014 and 2018 to assess perceived changes in mental well-being, comparing after landslide exposure to before landslide exposure. We used a novel six-item measure that was created in collaboration with the local community to compare perceived changes between those who were displaced by landslides and those who were not displaced, using logistic and multinomial regressions adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics. We then assessed whether the odds of displacement differed based on sociodemographic characteristics and landslide exposure characteristics, using logistic regressions.

RESULTS

Those who were displaced were more likely than those who were not displaced to report perceived increases in economic stability [odds ratio (OR)=3.06; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.45, 6.46], optimism (OR=4.01; 95% CI: 1.87, 8.61), safety (OR=2.71; 95% CI: 1.44, 5.10), religiosity (OR=1.92; 95% CI: 1.03, 3.65), and closeness with community (OR=1.90; 95% CI: 1.10, 3.33) after landslides compared with before their first landslide during the study period. More frequent landslide exposures were associated with reduced odds of relocation, but more severe landslides were associated with increased odds of relocation.

DISCUSSION

These findings suggest that landslides affect the mental well-being not only of those who are displaced but also of those who are left behind. Further, this work supports the need for community-based participatory research to fully capture the health impacts of environmental mobility. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9391.