Migratory Responses to Climate Change in Viet Nam

Rachel Rosenfeld , University of Wisconsin-Madison

Social and environmental scientists are increasingly interested in migratory responses of populations in relation to climate change. Given that Viet Nam is one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and natural disasters, Viet Nam can be used as an analog for researchers to understand potential migration outcomes in other areas with increasing temperatures and unpredictable rainfall. My study investigates the hypothesis that provinces and municipalities experiencing erratic and extreme precipitation and temperature events will show the greatest changes in migration patterns – primarily through higher rates of out-migration. Analyzing data from 2005-2015, my goal is to understand to what degree rainfall and temperature changes generate short-term disruptions or long-term change in migration rates. My results contribute to the theoretical literature on the relationship between environment and migration by measuring short-term migration disruptions while accounting for long-term migration trends.

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 Presented in Session 144. Vulnerability and Resilience in “Hot Spots” of Acute and Chronic Environmental Change