Unhollowing rural America? Rural human capital flight and the demographic consequences of the oil and gas boom
AbstractThe USA has recently experienced an unprecedented boom in domestic, on-shore oil and gas production via unconventional drilling technologies like hydraulic fracturing and directional drilling. Community leaders and policy-makers claim that this boom holds much promise to reverse many social and economic challenges faced by rural, non-amenity counties. Chief among these is human capital flight —often called the “rural brain drain”—and the loss of working-age population. This analysis examines the socio-demographic consequences of the oil and gas boom by assessing if the boom can stall or reverse human capita...
Source: Population and Environment - December 11, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Erratum to: Heterogeneous climate effects on human migration in Indonesia
AbstractWe examine the effect of anomalous temperatures, rainfall levels, and monsoon timing on migration outcomes in Indonesia. Using panel data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey and high-resolution climate data, we assess whether intra- and inter-province moves are used as a response to climatic shocks. We evaluate the relative importance of temperature, rainfall, and monsoon timing for migration. Temperature and monsoon timing have significant effects, and these do not operate in the direction commonly assumed. Estimated effects vary according to individuals ’ gender, membership in a farm household, and location....
Source: Population and Environment - December 1, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Environmental hazard and migration intentions in a coastal area in Ghana: a case of sea flooding
AbstractRecently, there has been significant debate about whether ‘environmental migration’ can constitute a form of adaptation to environmental change, as opposed to forced or flight migration. The Foresight Report on Migration and Environmental Change (2011) suggested environmental factors are one driver of migration, as well as political, social, economic a nd demographic drivers, and that—under the right conditions—migration can be a form of adaptation to changing climatic conditions. However, this is dependent on migrants having adequate social and financial capital to undertake beneficial types of migration; ...
Source: Population and Environment - December 1, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Editor introduction
(Source: Population and Environment)
Source: Population and Environment - December 1, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
The impact of industrial oil development on a protected area landscape: demographic and social change at Murchison Falls Conservation Area, Uganda
This study provides an increased understanding of how oil ca n shape human-environment interactions outside of globally important protected areas. (Source: Population and Environment)
Source: Population and Environment - November 14, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Editor introduction
(Source: Population and Environment)
Source: Population and Environment - September 11, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Environmental hazard and migration intentions in a coastal area in Ghana: a case of sea flooding
AbstractRecently, there has been significant debate about whether ‘environmental migration’ can constitute a form of adaptation to environmental change, as opposed to forced or flight migration. The Foresight Report on Migration and Environmental Change (2011) suggested environmental factors are one driver of migration, as well as political, social, economic a nd demographic drivers, and that—under the right conditions—migration can be a form of adaptation to changing climatic conditions. However, this is dependent on migrants having adequate social and financial capital to undertake beneficial types of migration; ...
Source: Population and Environment - July 29, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
The safety net function of NTFPs in different agro-ecological zones of South Africa
AbstractVarious South African studies have shown that rural households use NTFPs as safety nets in times of misfortune. However being focussed on one or two sites, they do not show the prevalence of NTFP use as safety nets across multiple sites. In addition, they do not show the use of NTFPs as safety nets by rural households in different agro-ecological zones. The results of the study showed that about 79% of the total households interviewed experienced at least one shock of some magnitude in the previous 12 months. The most experienced shocks were illness, death, crop failure, and hunger. The households employed variou...
Source: Population and Environment - July 19, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Exploring the influence of precipitation on fertility timing in rural Mexico
AbstractThe influence of environmental conditions on fertility decision-making is becoming increasingly important in the context of contemporary climate change. Deforestation, land availability, and environmental quality may shape decisions regarding family size, particularly in regions with high levels of natural resource dependence. This research examines the relationship between fertility timing and precipitation in rural Mexico by linking household event-history data to municipal-level precipitation measures. Even after controlling for other factors that impact fertility, in historically dry areas, households are more ...
Source: Population and Environment - June 24, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Editor ’s introduction
(Source: Population and Environment)
Source: Population and Environment - June 10, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Erratum to: Heterogeneous climate effects on human migration in Indonesia
AbstractWe examine the effect of anomalous temperatures, rainfall levels, and monsoon timing on migration outcomes in Indonesia. Using panel data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey and high-resolution climate data, we assess whether intra- and inter-province moves are used as a response to climatic shocks. We evaluate the relative importance of temperature, rainfall, and monsoon timing for migration. Temperature and monsoon timing have significant effects, and these do not operate in the direction commonly assumed. Estimated effects vary according to individuals ’ gender, membership in a farm household, and location....
Source: Population and Environment - June 9, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Land cover change and fertility in West-Central Africa: rural livelihoods and the vicious circle model
This study provides a unique test of both theories by examining the relationship between land cover change and fertility across hundreds of rural communities in four West-Central African countries. The findings reveal a complex relationship between natural capital a nd fertility. In communities where natural capital was initially low, a further decline in that capital is associated with both higher fertility preferences and levels. However, we find that fertility preferences and behavior are often discordant, with notable within-community differences in respons e to decline in natural capital across levels of household wea...
Source: Population and Environment - May 30, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
In-migration, customary land tenure, and complexity: exploring the relationship between changing land tenure norms and differentiated migrant livelihoods in Brong Ahafo, Ghana
This article focuses on the relationship between in-migration from Northern Ghana and changing land tenure norms in Ghana ’s central “transition zone” in Brong Ahafo Region. Using the complex adaptive systems (CAS) theoretical framework, it theorizes this relationship as part of a wider set of “co-evolving” social and environmental conditions across Brong Ahafo. It presents new qualitative research findings w hich show differentiated livelihood trajectories for Northern Ghanaian migrant farmers in Brong Ahafo in three case study sites in different districts and links these to migrants’ diverse land tenure arran...
Source: Population and Environment - April 21, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Emerging issues in urban ecology: implications for research, social justice, human health, and well-being
This article reviews emergent literature on the linkages between urban green spaces, social justice, and human health. We explore this subject in the context of landscape structure, ecosystem services, and distributional equity as it relates to various health outcomes. Finally, we conclude by identifying gaps in the scholarship and potential areas of future research. (Source: Population and Environment)
Source: Population and Environment - April 18, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
Family planning and deforestation: evidence from the Ecuadorian Amazon
AbstractDespite an abundant literature exploring the relationship between population growth and forest cover change, comparatively little research has examined the forest cover impacts of family planning use —a key determinant of population growth rates in many developing countries. Using data from a panel survey of farms in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon, this paper explores whether family planning use affects changes in forest cover. After controlling for household life cycle effects, family plannin g use among female heads of farm households did not have an independent effect on deforestation, reforestation, or net fo...
Source: Population and Environment - April 7, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research
