Jon Barnett - Climate Change, Small Island States, and Migration

No one is currently emigrating from Pacific small island states principally due to climate change, according to Australian geographer Jon Barnett of the University of Melbourne. In this short interview conducted at the Woodrow Wilson Center, Barnett emphasizes that climate change is most likely to push islanders to move due to declining food production and drinking water availability rather than sea-level rise—despite the iconic image of lapping waves submerging low-lying countries. These sober reminders on the complexity of climate-migration links are worth keeping in mind when evaluating the plethora of new reports on the topic.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• climate change
• small island states
• migration
• Jon Barnett
• Geoff Dabelko
• Woodrow Wilson Center
• ECSP