Bogumil Terminski Environmentally-Induced Displacement ... - Cedem

Studies undertaken on that issue, on the basis of geography, demography, population studies,and migration studies, focus primarily on the analysis of the consequences of environmentalchange on human spatial mobility (both globally and in individual countries or regions).Therefore, the experts in the field of demography pay attention to the importance ofecological factors for the change of population distribution, the gradual depopulation ofcertain areas, and increased mortality rates in a given area. The consequences of specificprocesses of environmental change, therefore, affect the population potential of a givenlocation. A similar approach is adopted in the research of environmental factors, undertakenon the basis of migration studies. They focus on analyzing the impact of environmentalchanges on the decision to undertake migration. It seems crucial at this point to clearly definerelations between specific migratory behaviour and the scale of underlying threats (asopposed to more static population studies, this research is an analysis of the dynamics ratherthan an extensive reflection on faits accomplis). Several specialists draw attention to theimpact of refugee migration movements on the environment (K. Jacobsen, G. Kibreab) 115 .The issue of environment-related shifts in population is also playing a more important role incertain fields of health sciences. Experts in the field of medical sciences (e.g. epidemiologists)draw attention to the environmental deterioration of the overall ground state of health in agiven area. Equally important problems characteristic of many natural disasters include healthrisks, problems of reverting, and adaptation to the ravaged territory. The issue ofconsequences of permanent environmental changes or big natural disasters is connected withthe issue of realising one’s right to health vis-à-vis state authorities or internationalinstitutions.Research on environmentally-induced displacement, undertaken on the basis of politicalscience, are now focusing on at least some categories of threats. Particularly relevant at thispoint are the studies undertaken in this field on the basis of security studies (Suhrke, Westing,Homer-Dixon). Already in the early nineties specialists from the Nordic countries drewattention to the relationship between environmental changes and the dynamics of armed115K. Jacobson, „Refugees’ Environmental Impact: The Effect of Patterns of Settlement”, Journalof Refugee Studies, vol. 10, no. 1, March 1997, p.19-36; G. Kibreab, "Environmental Causesand Impact of Refugee Movements: A Critique of the Current Debate", Disasters, vol. 21,no. 1, 1997, p. 20-38.