Internal/International Migration and the Environment

1. Internal/International Migration and the Environment Notes for class: There are changes from syllabus – so check your Readers for reading assignments for this half of the semester! Hand out Living Planet Report, 2004 on Wed. (guest speaker April 11) EEP153 spring 2005

2. Internal/International Migration and the Environment Internal rural-to-rural, rural-to-urban migration (Billsborough & Carr) • Causes • Environmental consequences International migration (Beyond Six Billion, 6 Million +, International Org. for Migration – 2003, Sara Curran) • Definitions, trends • Theory • Globalization • Future trends, policies • Impacts on environment EEP153 spring 2005

3. Internal/International Migration and the Environment Push factors inducing rural out-migration (econ-demographic response): • high fertility rates….high population density = pop/ha arable land; • resource degradation and declining yields….food insecurity; • limited on-farm/off-farm employment options; • natural or manmade/political crises (e.g. earthquakes, floods, civil war, persecution) …. (environmental) refugees. Pull factors inducing rural-rural or rural-urban migration: • town/city/free trade zone jobs in growth industries or traditional jobs – e.g. domestic help; • labor demand in commercial, plantation agriculture and timber; • colonization (directed/spontaneous) to frontier lands for subsistence ag., small ranching; • other pull factors – city services, education, opportunity. EEP153 spring 2005

4. Internal/International Migration and the Environment Examples of rural out-migration from Latin America: • Central America/Caribbean • Steep rural population increase since 1960s, delayed demographic transition, relatively high pop/ha arable land. • High deforestation rates, “little left to clear”. • Out-migration to frontier lands, cities and the U.S. • South America • Rural population density relatively low and declining with out-migration and reduced fertility levels. • But, deforestation continues in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina, WHY? • Colonization from poverty-stricken “interior” plus BIG grazing, timber and plantation agriculture operations. EEP153 spring 2005

5. Internal/International Migration and the Environment Both positive and negative environmental consequences of rural out-migration, depending on areas of origin and destination, agricultural practices and gov. policies: • Rural subsistence to rural plantation: • “save land for nature”, reduced pop. pressure, erosion, deforestation---+ • increased use of ag chemicals, abandon labor-intensive land practices such as terraces, irrigation maintenance, reforestation--- - • Rural subsistence to rural frontier (e.g. Chiapas): • Same as above---- + • Deforestation of frontier lands, soil erosion--- - • Rural subsistence to urban: • Same as above + remittances finance rural improvements back home---+ (ex. From Machacos, Kenya) • Increased consumption, waste and pollution in urban areas---- - EEP153 spring 2005

6. Internal/International Migration and the Environment With continued population growth, diminishing available land and future intensification constraints, policy-makers at all levels will be challenged to improve the agriculture-population nexus in developing countries: • Technical assistance plus credit for crop production intensification; • Improve access to reproductive health and family-planning; • Better conservation of what is left of the tropical forest through high taxation of logging concessions, less road-building and involvement of local people in NRM. Billsborrow and Carr, p. 55 EEP153 spring 2005

7. Internal/International Migration and the Environment International Migration: Definitions/flows • International migrants have “lived outside their homeland for 1 or more years”; • 175 million in 2000, about 3.0% of world’s population, and growing; • Net migration = the difference between the rate of in-migration and the rate of out-migration; • Int’l migration flows from developing countries to richer countries, from relatively high to low % economically active in agriculture, but not the poorest individuals. • Positive net migration regions/countries: ___________________________________________________ • Negative net migration regions/counties: ___________________________________________________ Types of migrants: • Economic: permanent and temporary or “return”; • Family reunification/”chain” migration; • Crisis – natural disasters, war; • Political refugees.

8. Internal/International Migration and the Environment Leading theories explaining international migration: • Intra-regional and global demographic disparities w/corresponding labor surpluses and shortages (e.g. Philippines and Japan); • Intra-regional and global wage/income differentials plus dual labor markets within developed countries; • Risk management via remittances (missing markets back home – credit, insurance, social security); • Migrant networks or “chain” migration; • Failed states – refugees. EEP153 spring 2005

9. Internal/International Migration and the Environment GLOBALIZATION will tend to increase int’l migration: • Freer movement of information, images, ideas, toward “one culture’; • Reduced costs of transport/communications; • International capital seeks competent, cheap & flexible labor force (skilled & unskilled, brain drain); • Collapse of restrictive regimes, e.g. Soviet Union, China?? • Dislocations (e.g. dams) and poverty resulting from economic liberalization….for some, increased need to seek jobs and remittances via out-migration. EEP153 spring 2005

10. Internal/International Migration and the Environment But int’l migration may be slowed by: • Creation of “free trade/out-sourced” jobs in LDCs; • Increased costs of illegal immigration (e.g. coyotes); • Anti-immigration sentiment/policies (in response to negative impacts on national cohesion, welfare state (Europe); • Post 9/11 – xenophobia, visa restrictions, security issues; • Other reasons?? Future of int’l migration: • Uncertain numbers, but as population ages in Europe, Japan and U.S., societies will need to increase labor supply via immigration. • Policies need to work on full integration of immigrant populations to reduce tensions, resentment, disenfranchised populations. • Constructive means to reduce int’l migration would be increased capital flows and investment to reduce poverty in sending countries. EEP153 spring 2005

11. Internal/International Migration and the Environment Environmental Impacts of Int’l Migration: On “host” countries: --- --- --- --- On “sending countries: --- --- --- --- EEP153 spring 2005

12. Internal/International Migration and the Environment Environmental Impacts of Int’l Migration: On “host” countries: • Increased water demand/consumption; • Increased energy consumption – air pollution, GGE; • Urban sprawl/build-up – loss of green spaces; On the other hand…. • Higher population (economies of scale) may lead to investment in mass transit, better urban planning; • $$ from taxes of immigrants provide revenue base for EPA, maintenance of parks and other services. On “sending countries: • Reduced deforestation, erosion; • Remittances support increased consumption and/or “green” investment back home; • Brain drain of professionals, scientists to work on complex environmental problems in countries of origin; • Impact on population/fertility back home can be “up” (given reduced pop. pressure/escape valve - Caribbean) or “down” (demonstration effect or “social” remittances”). EEP153 spring 2005