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

Figures & data

Figure 1. Climate Change (CC) migration and the capability approach framework. Understanding the relationship between climatic drivers and individual freedoms based on Amartya Sen’s capability approach.

Figure 2. Map showing study areas (brown) in the coastal districts of Bangladesh.

Table 1. Push and pull factors (information collected through Focus Group Discussions, N = 215 respondents in total). Notations: S = Seasonal; T = Temporary; P = Permanent.

Conversion factors	Push	Type of migration	Conversion factors	Pull	Type of migration/
Individual	Skills/training	T & P	Individual	Access to better health care	P
	Higher education	T & P		Access to better education	P
	Marriage	P
Socio-economic	Poverty	S,T & P	Socio-economic	Better livelihoods	S,T & P
	Unemployment	S & T		Higher income possibilities	S,T & P
	Indebtedness	S,T & P		Building network and strength	T & P
	Socio-political reasons (security, protection & participation)	T & P		Protective security Better Living Condition	P P
Environmental & Physical	Flood scarcity	S & T	Environmental & Physical	Less exposure to hazards	P
	Cyclone	S,T & P		Better communications	P
	River bank erosion	P		Free land for settlement	P
	Tidal surge	S & T		Available shelter	P
	Shelter	T & P		Better infrastructure	P
	Salinity	S & T		Livable environment	P
	Drought	S & T

Table 2. Factors that prevent migration, information collected through FGD. (22 FGD ≈ 215 respondents).

Preventive Factors	Ranked (according to FGD respondents)
1. Secure and steady income/livelihood (availability of alternative livelihood options)	1
2. Agricultural land (fertile, multi-cropping)	3
3. Hazard-free homestead (e.g. above flood level)	2
4 Small family size (food security, good health)	8
5. Lack of network (or no network outside the community/region)	4
6. Social liabilities (specially the religious leaders, teachers, doctors, local institutional leaders, etc.)	9
7. Fear for insecure future (lack of information and knowledge)	5
8. Financial incapability (not able to start new living)	6
9. Physical inability (disability, no outside support available)	7

Figure 3. Freedom of choice and migration potential depending on the capability set.

Figure 4. Household-level migration decision-making in the study areas for the people who decided to not to undertake the planned migration decisions (usually rich households).