Many had already been migrating from the island (Matthews 2017 16). They had to endure living without electricity for approximately three months, were without water for more than two months, and were without cellular service for more than one month (Kishore et al. The residents of Puerto Rico, who were hit by another catastrophic storm, Hurricane Maria, in September 2017, have been struggling with several challenges since then. Those who decided to stay in the area after this catastrophic disaster have been struggling with a variety of problems (e.g., economic challenges, post-traumatic stress and depression symptoms, and other health problems) (Fothergill & Peek 2004 11, Fothergill & Peek 2015 12, Fussell et al. In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina, for example, caused substantial flooding in over 80 percent of the city of New Orleans and displaced more than a million Gulf Coast residents (Gotham 2017 10). In recent years, the impacts of extreme weather events have been devastating for settlements throughout the United States (e.g., New Orleans, Puerto Rico), causing mass migration from these areas. Migration also takes place due to extreme events. The reasons behind environmental migration are complex, encompassing environmental drivers such as climate change and its associated impacts such as sea level rise, intertwined with economic, political, social, and demographic drivers (Black et al. Studies estimate that the number of environmental migrants has been increasing and will rise to approximately 200 million by 2050 (IOM 2008 7, Warner et al. Migration due to changes in environmental conditions is nothing new. Although there is no consensus on how to define environmental migrants, the International Organization for Migration (IOM 2011 5) characterizes them as “persons or groups of persons who, predominantly for reasons of sudden or progressive change in the environment that adversely affects their lives or living conditions, are obliged to leave their habitual homes, or choose to do so, either temporarily or permanently, and who move either within their country or abroad” (as cited in Environmental Migration Portal, 2018 6). One such impact is sea level rise, which poses significant risks not only to coastal communities, but also to inland communities, which are likely to be the destination of environmental immigrants, those who would migrate away from coastal communities (IPCC 2014 2, Tacoli 2009 3 Myers 2002 4). IntroductionĬlimate change has a range of impacts on the natural and built environment in and around communities across the globe (IPCC 2007) 1. The study suggests that policymakers need to find the optimum period to act on sea level rise adaptation and mitigation in the aftermath of a disaster, after affected populations’ immediate needs are addressed and before the populations’ collective memory of the disaster is forgotten. Long-term environmental risks associated with sea level rise have little to no direct influence on their relocation or repopulation decisions. The study suggests that, as displaced populations get back to their “new normal” in the aftermath of the hurricane, their focus is on short-term, immediate needs: pre-disaster challenges that were exacerbated after the hurricane-specifically a lack of affordable housing and low paying jobs-and the risks associated with potential storms. Observation, and review of secondary sources (e.g., local plans, newspaper articles). Its data collection methods include interviews (n=24), participant It is based on a case study of Monroe County, Florida, in theĪftermath of Hurricane Irma. To what extent do long-term risks associated with climate change, specifically sea level rise,Ĭontribute to repopulation or relocation decisions of people displaced by disasters in coastalĬommunities? This research focuses on this question, which has received littleĪttention in disaster literature.
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