“We are still here” Understanding climate change and immobility in highly mobile agrarian Himalayan communities

Keywords: immobility, climate change, adaptation
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Monday
Session Start / End Time: 2/28/2022 08:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/28/2022 09:20 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 10

Abstract

This paper explores the research question: Why do people in rural agrarian communities facing increasing migration pressures from changing climatic conditions, stay? By analyzing immobilities we aim to understand why people stay, who stays, what are the consequences of migration for those who stay, and what are their needs for adaptation? We study those who stay in highly mobile Himalayan communities of Uttarakhand, India where high out-migration has led to abandoned so-called ‘ghost villages’, and climate change is acting as a risk modifier influencing population movements. Using an empirical qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews (n=72) were held with affected communities, experts, and policymakers to assess their understanding of climate change and (im)mobility. Results show three key aspects, first that there are complex motivations for immobility which are shaped by the preference for home, community, culture, and location-specific advantages as compared to migrant destinations. Second, those who stay are negatively impacted by migration via loss of labor in agriculture, changes in demographic size and composition, loss of community, and emotional impacts on wellbeing – thereby drawing out adaptive capacities. Third, climate data and vulnerability studies show that the conditions under which these communities stay will become further challenging in the future so the preference to stay may not translate into the ability to maintain that choice in the future. However, this could be avoided if the ‘needs to adapt in place’ are met.