Public Perceptions of Immigrants: The Challenge of Raising Awareness of Climate Change as a Reason for Migration
By Enrico Rubaltelli
Although it might be easy for individuals in industrialized countries to assume that we can adapt to climate change, the reality is far more complex. In many regions, the impacts are increasingly severe, disproportionately affecting poorer nations. Economic and public health inequalities are exacerbated by climate change, with millions more people facing the risk of famine due to unworkable land and health issues stemming from a lack of clean water. Unsurprisingly, people from these regions are compelled to escape extreme conditions in search of safer living environments. Climate refugees are a growing international crisis.
Picture from article: “Extreme Weather Displaced a Record 7 Million in First Half of 2019” - The New York Times.
A White House report in 2021 highlights that extreme weather events and conflicts as the two leading drivers of forced displacement globally, accounting for the annual displacement of nearly 30 million people. The link between climate change and migration has been evident for decades. As early as the 1990s, the United Nations proposed the principle of "shared but differentiated responsibility," acknowledging that while the climate crisis is a global issue, some countries bear more responsibility than others. Industrialized nations have a duty not only to assist poorer countries in adapting to and mitigating climate change but also to uphold the "right to immigrate" for individuals who are living in regions that have become uninhabitable.
The migrant caravan in Mexico by Alexei Wood.
However, the world remains unprepared to address the challenges posed by climate migration. No country currently offers asylum or legal protection to climate migrants, largely because it is difficult to identify climate change as the primary reason for migration. As a result, climate migrants often find themselves without protection under existing international laws.
Beyond the legal hurdles, understanding the reactions of citizens in host countries is crucial. My colleagues and I are a team of psychologists from the University of Padova in Italy, a country that has seen a significant increase in immigration over the past few decades. Some of our research studies public perceptions of immigrants. We find that many citizens feel threatened by immigrants, a sentiment that is easily exacerbated by media coverage, especially when it involves individuals from the same group committing violent acts, such as terrorist attacks. This fear and resentment quickly extend to all members of the group, including those who are innocent.
Moreover, our recent research indicates that the reasons for migration and the regions from which migrants come play a significant role in how they are perceived. For example, immigrants from conflict zones like Afghanistan or Ukraine are more readily accepted than those from other regions, such as North Africa. Our findings suggest that these differences are driven by a moral imperative felt by respondents to help those in need, which is stronger when migrants are escaping war rather than climate change. This moral imperative is also inversely related to the perceived threat posed by immigrants—respondents feel a greater urgency to help when they feel less threatened.
Migrants from Cameroon rest while waiting with other migrants from Africa and Haiti to enter the Siglo XXI immigrant detention center. Reuters.
Richer countries, which are disproportionately responsible for the climate crisis, must do more to address these issues. However, significant progress will only be made when we better understand the roots of citizens' reactions and why they are more willing to accept some migrants than others. While some individuals hold an overall negative attitude toward immigrants, many are more willing to accept those fleeing immediate, visible dangers like armed conflict. Politicians are unlikely to act unless their constituencies demonstrate a positive attitude toward climate migrants.
Science has convincingly shown that climate change, like war, is a product of human activity. Although it may not always be evident, it is crucial to recognize and make visible the extreme suffering endured by those most affected. Raising awareness of the human impacts of climate change is an important task for climate educators and climate communicators, including social scientists, journalists, and artists.
Keywords: climate migrants; climate change; climate justice; perception; threat