Are new modes of governance needed to address environmentally induced migration?
Current institutional frameworks for managing migration and environmental change divide institutional management and responsibility along lines of environmental, migration and humanitarian needs (Boano et al. 2008). Likewise for governments, many of the environmental stressors they face within their territories result from transboundary issues including river delta management, desertification, and climate change. Responses and management often occur within a country’s borders and within specific ministerial lines (i.e. environment ministry, agricultural ministry, disaster management, immigration services, etc.) (Vlassopoulos 2008). This structure is partly suitable to address some forms of environmentally induced migration. For example, following rapid onset disasters, governments and humanitarian organizations mobilize to provide assistance to environmental emergency migrants on a largely short-term basis. For longer-term displacement, however, assistance of different forms and of a m
