Environmental migration and sustainable development

This paper focuses on migration occurrence as a result of environmental degradation and population growth. It briefly reviews previous practices in some less developed courtries and then considers the extent to which environmental factors have been and may be significant in initiating migration. A case study of the karst region of southwest China is used to illustrate the phenomenon, including root causes, restrictive factors, nature of the migration, desires of migrants, strategies of response and optional policies. It is argued that a comprehensive approach to the prevention of environmentally caused displacement should be developed.