Migration, the Consequence of Climate Change and Drought or Its Cause? the Need to Revise the Concept of Climate Migration; Case Study: Iran

One of the serious consequences of climate change and drought is the loss of employment, social and professional security, migration and the depopulation of effected areas, as well as the threat of food security. Unemployment, homelessness, and marginalization are other effects of environmental degradation and water scarcity, which cause people to flee from these areas.

This article emphasizes that in a country like Iran, where drought and dehydration have covered all parts of the country, migration from severely affected areas to less affected areas aggravates the problem of dehydration and It leads to drought in the whole country due to the imposition of additional population beyond the ecological capacity of the region. Therefore, in such a situation, migration is not only the cause of climate change and drought, but it also aggravates drought and dehydration of less effected areas.

On the other hand the political and geopolitical restrictions of the countries do not provide the possibility of large-scale migration, and people affected by serious climate problems are condemned to stay in a land where almost no part of it has climate and water security.

In fact, what people are facing in such a situation is not “migration”, but “forced climatic displacement” and wandering within the land. Migration is a planned event, but displacements caused by drought are not only unplanned, but its actors are more wanderers than migrants. This displacement due to desperation and helplessness cannot be called migration. Also the psychological and social consequences of this wandering within the territory are important factors which should be considered and makes “forced climatic displacement” completely different from the planned migration.