Professor Neil Adger

Neil Adger is Professor of Human Geography at the University of Exeter. He has published across the social and natural sciences on risk and adaptation to long-term climatic changes by people and the natural world. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and received the BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award for his work on the human dimensions of climate change. His latest book is Deltas in the Anthropocene.

Changing Places: Migration and Climate Change

Climate change will alter the economic geography of every corner the world.  Climate related migration is happening now, is not the principal determinant of current observed flows, but could become so. How should societies deal with this emerging challenge? First, cities need to be safe and resilient destinations for new populations. Second, governments need fair processes to help communities to relocate out of harm’s way where necessary. Third, governments need to co-ordinate with neighbours in their own regions to facilitate international migrants. International migration due to climate change is only a modest proportion of all flows, but a challenge fraught with political conflict due to highly polarized views on such movement. There is no reason to be alarmist about the prospect of climate migration. But there are good reasons to plan for increased demand for movement, and to mitigate the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations for the benefit of all.