Cited by 1,043Climate Change, Adaptation, MigrationMigration and Labor DynamicsClimate change impacts on agriculture

Migration as adaptation

Black, Richard, Bennett, Stephen R. G., Thomas, Sandy M., Beddington, John R.·2011·Nature

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1038/478477a

Cites

8 of 8 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

2 of 19 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged · accuracy not yet measured

  • Premisecitation

    Diminished soil quality in Kenya has led people to travel to diversify their income.

    “Diminished soil quality in Kenya has led people to travel to diversify their income.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [4] Gray, C. Glob. Environ. Change 21, 421–430 (2011). source

      The Discussion reports a strong association in Kenya between low soil quality and temporary labor migration, and suggests that households send migrants to generate additional income. The claim presents this suggested response as an established causal effect; the paper does not establish that diminished soil quality caused people to migrate. (LLM, conf=0.84)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Premisecitation

    In 2004-05, temporary labour migration in households farming high-quality soils in Kenya was 67% lower than in those using poor soils.

    “In 2004-05, for example, temporary labour migration in households that were farming land with high-quality soils was 67% lower than in those using poor soils 4 .”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [4] Gray, C. Glob. Environ. Change 21, 421–430 (2011). source

      Results §5.1 (Kenya; page not provided) reports that the odds of temporary labor migration were 67% lower for households with high-quality soil. The citing sentence presents this as a 67% reduction in migration itself, rather than in its odds. Data Collection §3.1 also says the Kenyan surveys were conducted in 2004 and 2007, not 2004–05. (LLM, conf=0.88)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Findingreasoning

    In Uganda, wealthier people are more able to relocate.

    “For example, in Uganda, a relatively settled country with high 'entry costs' for housing, schools and marriage, those who are wealthier are more able to relocate.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Premisecitation

    In Bangladesh, moving to cities has become a common coping strategy in the face of flooding.

    “In Bangladesh, for example, moving to cities has become a common coping strategy in the face of flooding.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [3] Penning-Rowsell, E., Sultana, S. & Thompson, P. Population Movement in Response to Climate Related Hazards in Bangladesh: The 'Last Resort' (Government Office for Science, 2011); available at http://go.nature.com/somswg

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Interpretationreasoning

    Environmental factors will increasingly influence migration.

    “Environmental factors will increasingly influence migration.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [1] Foresight: Migration and Global Environmental Change Final Project Report (Government Office for Science, 2011); available at http://go.nature.com/somswg

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

    • Rests on an assumption: Current greenhouse-gas emissions are already committing the planet to likely climate changes in the next 20 years.
  • May combine two claims. 11
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 2
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    In a 2008 study, 22% of households affected by tidal-surge floods, and 16% affected by riverbank erosion, moved to urban areas.

    “In a 2008 study, 22% of households affected by tidal-surge floods, and 16% affected by riverbank erosion, moved to urban areas 3 .”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [3] Penning-Rowsell, E., Sultana, S. & Thompson, P. Population Movement in Response to Climate Related Hazards in Bangladesh: The 'Last Resort' (Government Office for Science, 2011); available at http://go.nature.com/somswg

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    Migration will offer opportunities as well as challenges in the context of environmental change.

    “It contends that, although environmental change will alter an already complex pattern of human mobility, migration will offer opportunities as well as challenges.”
    • Also stated in: § Abstract · hedged
      “Our study suggests that the picture is not so one-sided.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [1] Foresight: Migration and Global Environmental Change Final Project Report (Government Office for Science, 2011); available at http://go.nature.com/somswg

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    In Mali, emigration decreased during the severe droughts of 1983-85 alongside a rise in rural poverty.

    “In Mali, emigration decreased during the severe droughts of 1983-85 alongside a rise in rural poverty 7 .”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [7] Findley, S. E. Int. Migr. Rev. 28, 539–553 (1994).

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationnone given

    Migration is often expensive, and those most vulnerable to environmental change are usually poor.

    “Migration is often expensive, and those most vulnerable to environmental change are usually poor.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Migrants stretch the capacity of existing infrastructure, especially in low-income countries, and new arrivals are frequently vulnerable.

    “Migrants stretch the capacity of existing infrastructure, especially in low-income countries, and new arrivals are frequently vulnerable.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Remittances to home communities in Africa quadrupled to nearly US$40 billion between 1990 and 2010, surpassing official development assistance since 2007.

    “In Africa, where the majority of international migrants stay within their subregion, such remittances to home communities quadrupled to nearly US$40 billion between 1990 and 2010, surpassing official development assistance since 2007 (ref.10).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [10] Ratha, D. et al. Leveraging Migration for Africa: Remittances, Skills, and Investments (World Bank, 2011). source
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Environmental change can increase the incentive to move, but it can also limit the capacity to do so.

    “Environmental change can increase the incentive to move, but it can also limit the capacity to do so.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    In 2008, attacks against Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa resulted in 65 deaths and the further displacement of 150,000 people.

    “In 2008, attacks against these migrants resulted in 65 deaths and the further displacement of 150,000 people 9 .”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [9] McGregor, J., Marazzi, L. & Mpofu, B. Conflict, Migration and the Environment: the Case of Zimbabwe (Government Office for Science, 2011); available at http://go.nature.com/somswg

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Interpretationreasoning

    Migrants may be socially excluded.

    “Furthermore, migrants may be socially excluded and so will need special attention.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Socio-political factors can restrict movement, as in Somalia where armed conflict restricts movement, or in New Orleans where the evacuation plan for Hurricane Katrina assumed everyone had access to a car.

    “There may be confounding socio-political factors, such as in Somalia where armed conflict restricts movement 5 , or in New Orleans, Louisiana, where the evacuation plan for Hurricane Katrina assumed that everyone had access to a car 6 .”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [5] Kolmannskog, V. New Issues in Refugee Research Res. Pap. 180 (UNHCR, 2009); available at http://go.nature.com/pugh4r

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

    • cites [6] Cutter, S. The Katrina Exodus: Internal Displacements and Unequal Outcomes (Government Office for Science, 2011); available at http://go.nature.com/somswg

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Impoverished people face a double set of risks: they are unable to move away from environmental threats, and their lack of capital makes them especially vulnerable to environmental changes.

    “Impoverished people face a double set of risks.They are unable to move away from environmental threats, and their lack of capital makes them especially vulnerable to environmental changes.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Political instability, poor governance, conflict and social pressures compound the problems of migration and environmental vulnerability.

    “Political instability, poor governance, conflict and social pressures compound these problems.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
12 of 12
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Current greenhouse-gas emissions are already committing the planet to likely climate changes in the next 20 years.

    “Current greenhouse-gas emissions are already committing the planet to likely climate changes in the next 20 years.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Future droughts will threaten food security.

    “Future droughts will threaten food security”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    People migrate for complex reasons including economic improvement, joining family, escaping persecution, and removing themselves from environmental or other threats, often temporarily.

    “People migrate for complex reasons: to improve incomes; to join family members; to escape persecution; and to remove themselves from environmental or other threats, often temporarily.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The drivers of migration are closely intertwined, so it makes little sense to consider any of them in isolation.

    “Many factors influence whether a person or family will migrate.Their effects are closely intertwined, so it makes little sense to consider any of them in isolation.”
4 of 4

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • The character of climate migration is strongly determined by contextual factors, such as the political or socioeconomic conditions in a region, which affect households' access to alternative in-situ adaptation options, resources to bear the costs of migration, and the existence of migration networks.

    “There is an increasing acknowledgment that the character of climate migration is strongly determined by contextual factors, such as the political or socioeconomic conditions in a region, which affect households' access to alternative in-situ adaptation options, resources to bear the costs of migration, and the existence of migration networks (Black et al., 2011).”

    From Improving the evidence base: A methodological review of the quantitative climate migration literature (2021) · cites this paper as Black et al., 2011

    The Drivers of Migration and Environmental Drivers sections describe intertwined political, economic and household factors, including wealth, moving costs and social networks. The Reality of Migration also gives examples of poverty and conflict limiting movement. Our copy does not specifically say that these conditions determine access to alternative in-situ adaptation options. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Foresight: Migration and Global Environmental Change Final Project Report (Government Office for Science, 2011); available at http://go.nature.com/somswg
  2. Kolmannskog, V. New Issues in Refugee Research Res. Pap. 180 (UNHCR, 2009); available at http://go.nature.com/pugh4r
  3. Cutter, S. The Katrina Exodus: Internal Displacements and Unequal Outcomes (Government Office for Science, 2011); available at http://go.nature.com/somswg
  4. Findley, S. E. Int. Migr. Rev. 28, 539–553 (1994).
  5. McGregor, J., Marazzi, L. & Mpofu, B. Conflict, Migration and the Environment: the Case of Zimbabwe (Government Office for Science, 2011); available at http://go.nature.com/somswg

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Black, R., Bennett, S. R. G., Thomas, S. M., & Beddington, J. R.
Affiliations
  • University of Sussex (GB)
  • Government of the United Kingdom (GB)
Corresponding author
  • Black, Richard
  • Bennett, Stephen R. G.
  • Thomas, Sandy M.
  • Beddington, John R.
Venue
Nature
Published
2011-10-20
Volume
478
Issue
7370
Pages
447-449
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2032266442
Cited by
1,043
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 101 · 2025: 81 · 2024: 89 · 2023: 106 · 2022: 98 · 2021: 106 · 2020: 101 · 2019: 85 · 2018: 54 · 2017: 62 · 2016: 46 · 2015: 39 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 21
FWCI
80.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • SOAS Research Online (SOAS University of London) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Migration and Labor Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Climate change impacts on agriculture
Keywords
human migration, environmental change, adaptation, mobility, climate change, coping strategies
MeSH terms
Acclimatization, Disasters, Emigration and Immigration, Environment, Humans, Policy Making, Politics, Poverty, Risk, Socioeconomic Factors, Urban Population, Floods, Climate Change

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Claims read by deepseek-v4.1-flash under definition version 3 (extract-v3) on 2026-10-11.

Classified by jev-1.13-20260917 (gold-guideline-v0.2) on 2026-10-11.

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