Freedom of choice to migrate: adaptation to climate change in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

Adaptation is an essential part of climate change policy. In areas where impacts are likely to be severe, migration is considered to be an adaptation option. In Bangladesh coastal areas migration due to climate change is contingent on people’s freedom of choice at individual and household level. Following Amartya Sen’s capability approach, we argue that there should be a line drawn between migrations by free choice versus forced migration. Sen’s capability approach focuses on the importance of people’s freedom of choice to act, and the ability to achieve what they consider valuable in their life. In this paper, we use an extensive empirical work engaging 22 focus groups discussions (8–12 individuals in each group) and 14 Key Informants Interviews in South-West Bangladesh to elicit how freedom of choice changes with the economic class and social status of an individual. Using these data we apply Sen’s capability approach to understand the role of the freedom of choice when considering migration as an adaptation option. We argue that the capability approach is essential in revealing a thin border between migration as a (planned) adaptation option and forced migration.

KEYWORDS:

• Climate Change
• adaptation
• freedom of choice
• income class
• migration drivers

Acknowledgments

This paper is a part of a PhD study that was carried out with a limited budget. The field work was possible only with the support and cooperation of the local people, especially the participants who freely engaged with the project and helped with information collection. Through their sacrifice of time, we could successfully complete the study. We offer our sincerest thanks to all the respondents of the study for their assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.