Robert Stojanov

Conceptualizing and contextualizing research and policy for links between climate change and migration

Purpose – This paper aims to present a critical review of some literature on climate change and migration through conceptualizing and contextualizing the linkages between the two topics. Much literature on links between climate change and migration tends to downplay ambiguities in the terms and the limited empirical evidence. Conceptualizing refers to the knowledge gaps and the need to understand and detail (even if not agreeing on) conceptual issues such as terminology, definitions, linkages, drivers, thresholds, implications, data requirements and methodologies. Contextualizing refers to understanding the climate change and migration debate within wider topical and geographical contexts. Results identify major qualitative and quantitative gaps. Qualitatively, limited material exists on why people react differently to similar environmental stressors and why certain outcomes may arise. Quantitatively, credible and verifiable measures are not always available for assessing the climate change impacts on mig...

Household measures for river flood risk reduction in the Czech Republic

Interviews with 304 households were used to determine flood risk reduction measures adopted in the case study of the Becva River in the Czech Republic. Uptake of measures was low, irrespective of experience with floods. Financial cost seemed to be a barrier towards implementation, but more work is needed to understand the combination of factors limiting adoption of household flood risk reduction measures. Regression analysis indicated that socio-demographic factors play an important role in household decision making. More men and more children in a household support the adoption of measures. Perception of living in a flood risk zone, rather than actual experience of flooding, also positively influenced probability of adopting some measures. When a house is elevated up from ground level by 1 metre or more, the likelihood of taking further measures decreased by 20%. Further investigation of these factors and why, not just how, they influence household choices would support flood risk reduction measures, especially under a changing climate.

Contextualising typologies of environmentally induced population movement

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show how typologies for environmentally induced population movement need to be understood in a contextualised manner in order to be useful. Design/methodology/approach – This study interrogates some academic discourses concerning environmentally induced population movement. By analysing key environmental factors said to contribute to population movement, in addition to considering time factors, this study uses the case of Tuvalu to demonstrate overlapping categories and the importance of contextualisation. Findings – Current typologies provide a basis for considering a wide variety of motives for environmentally induced population movement, in relation to different drivers, motivations, time scales, and space scales. Yet contextualisation is required for policy and practice relevance. Research limitations/implications – All typologies have limitations. Any typology should be taken as a possible tool to apply in a particular context, or to support decision making, ...

Household Adaptation Strategies to Climate Extremes Impacts and Population Dynamics: Case Study from the Czech Republic

This chapter deals with the state of household adaptation strategies in a region frequently affected by climate extremes, specifically floods occurred from 1997 to 2012 in selected rural municipalities in the Becva river basin in the North-Eastern part of the Czech Republic. We used quantitative methods, based on a survey of 605 households to find out ways of adaptation measures of household members, including potential for migration. The first, we found increased intensity and frequency of the impacts of climate extremes in the form of floods over the last two decades. Further, we recognized various responses to these extreme events applied by household, mainly some adaptation strategies outside houses, although our findings showed that households tend to repair damage instead of implementing costly adaptation measures. Our research also revealed that migration due to climate extremes did not play a significant role as an adaptation measure in the researched area, people moved out only in a few cases. In addition, our research showed a link between difficulty to migrate and some social consequences, meaning that the increasing occurrence of floods is a fairly serious problem for residents who cannot leave, even if they want to, because they had limited opportunities for resettlement. Nevertheless, we recognized commuting for work as a population dynamics adaptation strategy.