Environmental concerns and population displacement in West China

Abstract

One of the areas in migration studies in China that has not been adequately understood is population displacement as a result of environmental deterioration. This paper offers a comprehensive review of recent literature in this area. It focuses on people displacement produced by accelerated environmental deterioration in West China. It briefly reviews the literature on environment-related migration and then discusses the distribution and features of the major ecologically fragile zones. Following is an examination of poverty as an important factor in initiating migration. It examines the processes and some consequences of environment-related displacement and resettlement. Finally, some suggestions on how best to cope with issues of people displacement are addressed.