Migration and household adaptation to climate: A review of empirical research

Abstract

This paper reviews empirical research on migration and land use impacts associated with climate change. Household migration arises due to changes in economic opportunities and climate amenities resulting from climate change. Throughout the paper, efforts are made to highlight key empirical findings as well as areas in need of additional research. The existing literature is discussed through the lens of reduced form and structural approaches paying particular attention to preference heterogeneity and the often complex interconnections between economic sectors in determining household migration. Areas in need of additional research include improving our understanding of the coupling between human and natural systems, accounting for endogenous attributes and payoffs, and incorporating richer characterizations of the tradeoffs driving migration across multiple economic sectors.