Authors
- . Sadegh Ahmadi Mazhin 1
- . Hamidreza Khankeh 2
- . Mehrdad Farrokhi 3
- . Mohsen Aminizadeh 4
- . Mohsen Poursadeqiyan 5
1 Health in Emergency and Disaster Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran, Departman of Nursing, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran
2 Health in Emergency and Disaster Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran department of Clinical Science and Education, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
3 Health in Emergency and Disaster Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4 Health in Emergency and Disaster Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran Health in Emergency and Disaster Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
5 Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran The Collaboration Center of Meta-Analysis Research, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The empirical assessment of the health outcomes associated with migration caused
by climate change is still unclear. However, health outcomes in the early stages are expected to be
similar to the health outcomes associated with refugees. The objective of the present study was a
systematic review of the health effects of migration caused by climate change.
METHODOLOGY: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items
for Systematic Reviews and Meta‑Analyses guidelines. Online databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web
of Science, and Google Scholar) were used to identify papers published that evaluated the health
effects of migration caused by climate change. The search, article selection, and data extraction were
carried out by two researchers independently. All English‑language articles on the health effects of
migration caused by climate change were included in this study.
RESULTS: An analysis of the complex ways in which climate change influences populations can
be facilitated using a three‑class classification: compulsory displacement, resettlement planning,
and migration. Subsequent to climate changes, other changes, and environmental deficiencies,
compulsory displacement may occur in case of inadequacy of compatibility responses. A part of
migration‑related health outcomes caused by climate change is from displacement from rural to urban
areas, especially in developing countries. There is significant documentation on health and livelihood
inequalities between migrant groups and host populations in developed countries.
CONCLUSION: If climate change continues in its current direction, it is likely that the number of
refugees and crises will increase in the coming decades. Although the domain and the extent of health
hazards caused by the displacement of the population associated with climate change cannot be
clearly predicted, by reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, along with social and environmental
adaptation strategies, migration caused by climate change, health risks and its relevant crises can
be greatly reduced.
Keywords
et al. Health and climate change: Policy responses to protect public
health. Lancet 2015;386:1861‑914.
2. Finlayson C. Biogeography and evolution of the genus Homo.
Trends Ecol Evol 2005;20:457‑63.
3. Issar AS. Climate change as a draw bridge between Africa and
the Middle East. Glob Planet Change 2010;72:451‑4.
4. Gráda ÓC. Famine: A Short History. Princeton, NJ: Princeton
University Press; 2009.
5. Zhang DD, Lee HF, Wang C, Li B, Pei Q, Zhang J, et al. The
causality analysis of climate change and large‑scale human crisis.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011;108:17296‑301.
6. Oppenheimer C. Climatic, environmental and human
consequences of the largest known historic eruption: Tambora
volcano (Indonesia) 1815. Prog Phys Geogr 2003;27:230‑59.
7. Smith JB, Schneider SH, Oppenheimer M, Yohe GW, Hare W,
Mastrandrea MD, et al. Assessing dangerous climate change
through an update of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) “reasons for concern”. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
2009;106:4133‑7.8. Oliver‑Smith A. Climate change and population displacement:
Disasters and diasporas in the twenty‑first century. Anthropology
and climate change from encounters to actions. 2009:116‑36.
9. Renaud FG, Bogardi JJ, Dun O, Warner K. Control, Adapt or
Flee: How to Face Environmental Migration? USA:UNU‑EHS;
2007.
10. SciortinoR. International Migration in Thailand 2009. International
Organization for Migration; 2009.
11. Tacoli C. Crisis or adaptation? Migration and climate change in
a context of high mobility. Environ Urban 2009;21:513‑25.
12. Stern N, Taylor C. Economics. Climate change: Risk, ethics, and
the Stern Review. Science 2007;317:203‑4.
13. Strittmatter A, Sunde U . H e a l t h a n d e c o n o m i c
development – evidence from the introduction of public health
care. J Popul Econ 2013;26:1549‑84.
14. Carballo M, Smith CB, Pettersson K. Health challenges. Forced
Migr Rev 2008;31:32‑3.
15. McMichael C, Barnett J, McMichael AJ. An ill wind? Climate
change, migration, and health. Environ Health Perspect
2012;120:646‑54.
16. BazyarJ, Pourvakhshoori N, Khankeh H, Farrokhi M, Delshad V,
Rajabi E. A comprehensive evaluation of the association between
ambient air pollution and adverse health outcomes of major
organ systems: A systematic review with a worldwide approach.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2019;26:12648‑61.
17. McGregor J. Climate change and involuntary migration:
Implications for food security. Food Policy 1994;19:120‑32.
18. Afolayan A, Adelekan I. The role of climatic variations on
migration and human health in Africa. Environmentalist
1999;18:213‑8.
19. Bates DC. Environmental refugees? Classifying human migrations
caused by environmental change. Popul Environ 2002;23:465‑77.
20. Barnett J, Adger WN. Climate change human security and violent
conflict. Polit Geogr 2007;26:639‑55.
21. Reuveny R. Climate change‑induced migration and violent
conflict. Polit Geogr 2007;26:656‑73.
22. Keim ME. Building human resilience: The role of public health
preparedness and response as an adaptation to climate change.
Am J Prev Med 2008;35:508‑16.
23. Obioha EE. Climate change population drift and violent conflict
over land resources in northeastern Nigeria. J Hum Ecol
2008;23:311‑24.
24. Perch‑Nielsen PP, Bättig MB, Imboden D. Exploring the link
between climate change and migration. Clim Change 2008;91:375‑.
25. Stephenson J, Newman K, Mayhew S. Population dynamics
and climate change: What are the links? J Public Health (Oxf)
2010;32:150‑6.
26. Warner K, Hamza M, Oliver‑Smith A, Renaud F, Julca A. Climate
change environmental degradation and migration. Nat Hazards
2010;55:689‑715.
27. Tacoli C. Governance, Migration and Local Development. London,
England: SAGE Publications Sage UK; 2010.
28. Tacoli C, Mabala R. Exploring mobility and migration in the
context of rural–urban linkages: Why gender and generation
matter. Environ Urban 2010;22:389‑95.
29. Black R, Adger WN, Arnell NW, Dercon S, Geddes A, Thomas D.
The effect of environmental change on human migration. Glob
Environ Change 2011;21:S3‑11.
30. Black R, Bennett SR, Thomas SM, Beddington JR. Climate change:
Migration as adaptation. Nature 2011;478:447‑9.
31. Black R, Kniveton D, Schmidt‑Verkerk K. Migration and climate
change: Towards an integrated assessment of sensitivity. Environ
Plan A 2011;43:431‑50.
32. Kartiki K. Climate change and migration: A case study from rural
Bangladesh. Gend Dev 2011;19:23‑38.
33. Cao ZJ, Chen SJ. Migration mechanism of climate migrants and
analysis of relevant concepts. Adv Mat Res 2012;518:5070-4.
34. Mowafi H. Conflict, displacement and health in the Middle East.
Glob Public Health 2011;6:472‑87.
35. McNamara KE, Bronen R, Fernando N, Klepp S. The complex
decision‑making of climate‑induced relocation: Adaptation and
loss and damage. Clim Policy 2018;18:111‑7.
36. Mal S, Singh R, Huggel C, Grover A. Introducing Linkages
between Climate Change, Extreme Events, and Disaster Risk
Reduction. Climate Change, Extreme Events and Disaster Risk
Reduction. Springer; 2018. p. 1‑14.
37. Mulugetta Y, Urban F. Deliberating on low carbon development.
Energy Policy 2010;38:7546‑9.
38. Pramova E, Locatelli B, Brockhaus M, Fohlmeister S. Ecosystem
services in the national adaptation programmes of action. Clim
Policy 2012;12:393‑409.
39. Hardee K, Mutunga C. Strengthening the link between climate
change adaptation and national development plans: Lessons from
the case of population in National Adaptation Programmes of
Action (NAPAs). Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Chang 2010;15:113‑26.
40. McIver L, Kim R, Woodward A, Hales S, Spickett J, Katscherian D,
et al. Health Impacts of Climate Change in Pacific Island Countries:
A Regional Assessment of Vulnerabilities and Adaptation
Priorities. Environ Health Perspect 2016;124:1707‑14.
41. Benjamin E, Bassily‑Marcus AM, Babu E, Silver L, Martin ML.
Principles and practice of disaster relief: Lessons from Haiti. Mt
Sinai J Med 2011;78:306‑18.
42. Foster AM, Evans DP, Garcia M, Knaster S, Krause S, McGinn T,
et al. The 2018 Inter‑agency field manual on reproductive health
in humanitarian settings: Revising the global standards. Reprod
Health Matters 2017;25:18‑24.
43. Rice M, Hancock T. Equity, sustainability and governance in urban
settings. Glob Health Promot 2016;23:94‑7.