Climate change and environmental degradation and the drivers of migration in the context of shrinking cities: A case study of Khuzestan province, Iran

Abstract

The desire to improve the quality of life and to avoid environmental degradation has prompted human beings to migrate across the world over time. Through a survey regarding the contribution of different drivers on migration out of the shrinking cities of Khuzestan province, the study shows that climate changes and environmental degradation have a considerable influence on out-migration. Overall, these environmental factors exert both direct and indirect effects. The former, which is proven through a quantitative analysis, implies that the climate and environmental changes are so influential that they have compromised the human habitability in this area of the Middle East. Therefore, having reached the risk threshold, people are increasingly persuaded to leave the shrinking cities. Besides, the extent to which environmental changes contribute to the intensification of the economic downturn, unemployment, addiction, corruption, violence, crimes, and the disruption in the urban infrastructures in this region, underscores the importance of the indirect effects of climate and environment changes in migration from the shrinking cities of Khuzestan province. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd