Climate change, migration and health

This chapter highlights some of the key issues that link climate change, migration and health. It is strongly recognized that climate change does not operate independently of history or politics. Nonetheless, climate change is increasingly likely to act as 'risk multiplier', contributing to an increase in population displacement, irrespective of the name that is applied to such people (such as climate migrants). After describing general principles that drive migration, the chapter focuses on two case studies from Central and South America: migrant caravans feeing poverty and instability in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador and the egress of millions of Venezuelans. Even if climate change cannot be suffciently curtailed, some of the co-factors that help drive migration can be improved. However, this prospect currently seems faint, given the dominant ideology of neoliberalism and its denial of limits to growth.