Movements of the future: environmental change, its affect on migration and policy responses.

As temperatures and sea levels rise, among other issues, environmental change is becoming an increasingly important driver of both internal and external migration across the globe. The loss of livelihood that these changes engender, and will increasingly cause in the coming decades, is forcing larger and larger numbers of individuals and groups to seek opportunities in other areas. As this phenomenon becomes more prevalent, it is imperative that communities, governments, NGOs, and other interested parties put in place policies to mitigate and adapt. This paper looks at the intersection of environmental change and migration. More specifically, it discusses the changing climate and environment and then looks at how this will, and already is, affecting migration patterns around the world. It then will provide a number of guiding principles for policymakers, academics, and others to think about when dealing with this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]