Rural-urban migration and climate change adaptation : policy implications for Pakistan Policy brief
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2018-07
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Abstract
Pakistan is a developing country of 208 million people, of which a majority – 132 million – reside in rural areas.1 According to the Global Climate Risk Index 2018 (Eckstein, Künzel and Schäfer, 2017), the country is also among the world’s most vulnerable to long-term climate change impacts. The rural areas’ high dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods (such as agriculture, livestock, and forestry) means that they will be adversely affected by changes in the climate for which they will have to prepare.2 Many rural populations are already coping with and adapting to the effects of climate change by modifying their agricultural practices, livelihoods, and lifestyles. As a means to diversify incomes, improve living standards and minimise risk against stresses and shocks, many rural households are also engaging in rural-to-urban migration. Although reliable data is not available,3 rural-to-urban migration is said to constitute 40% of total internal migration in Pakistan (Arif, 2005).
Description
This policy brief is supported by the Opportunities and Synergy Fund of the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA) which is financially supported by the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the International Development Research Centre, Canada. This work is based upon a synthesis paper written by Sadia Munawar Ishfaq, Basharat Ahmed Saeed and Sultan Ishaq in May 2018.
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Policy Brief
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Keywords
MIGRATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION, POLICY IMPLICATIONS, PAKISTAN, INTERNAL MIGRANT, REMITTANCES, LIVELIHOODS, RURAL-TO-URBAN MIGRATION