StartClim2016: Migration, Climate Change and Social and Economic Inequalities

The impact of climate change on migration is a multi-faceted and complex phenomenon. Climate change not only directly triggers migration, for example as a result of rising sea levels, but also exerts indirect effects which are channelled through and interlinked with social, economic, political and other aspects, for example the shortage of economic resources. Based on desktop research and a review and analysis of academic literature the research aimed at comprehensively reviewing the state of research on migration scenarios in the context of climate change with a specific focus on those which are relevant for Europe and Austria. It further aimed at analysing on how these scenarios take into consideration social, economic and political aspects and inequalities between different social groups and how these aspects could be better integrated in the scenarios. In a second step and by means of the analysis of secondary statistical data it was analysed whether there is meaningful statistical data available to quantify migration scenarios. Based on these different strands of analysis research gaps as well as entry points for potential adaptation strategies were identified.