Handbook on Climate Mobility

This insightful Handbook explores the pervasive effects of climate change on homes across the globe, examining the difficult choice between staying in increasingly uninhabitable places, or relocating and seeking refuge elsewhere. Leading international scholars investigate the motivations and deterrents of climate migration, outlining how governments and communities can respond more effectively. As extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and long-term environmental changes intensify, the Handbook sheds light on the urgent need for fair policies, stronger international support and recognition of those already affected. It calls for key changes to advance climate justice, including strengthening legal protections, establishing clear definitions for terms such as ‘climate migrant’ and ‘climate refugee’, and increased funding to support vulnerable populations in resettling or adapting with dignity. Contributing authors from diverse disciplines address climate mobility case studies from Africa, Latin America, the Pacific Islands, and South Asia, providing actionable guidance for adaptation strategies. This Handbook is a vital resource for scholars and students of geography, environmental and disaster studies, migration and refugee studies, and urban planning, humanitarian studies, and international law. Policymakers and humanitarian practitioners working on disaster risk reduction and international protection frameworks will also find the Handbook beneficial.