Climate Change and the Evolution and Fate of the Tangier Islands of Chesapeake Bay, USA

Schulte, David M.; Dridge, Karin M.; Hudgins, Mark H.

doi:10.1038/srep17890

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Displacement of populations whose dwellings are inundated is the most obvious concern and is already occurring in some low-lying islands and river deltas. Displacement from these areas will be a widespread issue within a few decades [36][37][38]. In addition, repetitive instances of saltwater intrusion from sea-level rise and storm surges will render well water non-potable and farmland infertile, causing livelihoods stress even for people whose dwellings are not directly affected by rising waters [39][40][41].…”

Section: Climate Change Hazards: Drought Heat Sea-level Rise and Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Change, Migration, and Civil Strife

Balsari

Dresser

Lee

2020

Curr Envir Health Rpt

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Purpose of Review In this article, we examine the intersection of human migration and climate change. Growing evidence that changing environmental and climate conditions are triggers for displacement, whether voluntary or forced, adds a powerful argument for profound anticipatory engagement. Recent Findings Climate change is expected to displace vast populations from rural to urban areas, and when life in the urban centers becomes untenable, many will continue their onward migration elsewhere (Wennersten and Robbins 2017; Rigaud et al. 2018). It is now accepted that the changing climate will be a threat multiplier, will exacerbate the need or decision to migrate, and will disproportionately affect large already vulnerable sections of humanity. Worst-case scenario models that assume business-as-usual approaches to climate change predict that nearly one-third of the global population will live in extremely hot (uninhabitable) climates, currently found in less than 1% of the earth’s surface mainly in the Sahara. Summary We find that the post–World War II regime designed to receive European migrants has failed to address population movement in the latter half of the twentieth century fueled by economic want, globalization, opening (and then closing) borders, civil strife, and war. Key stakeholders are in favor of using existing instruments to support a series of local, regional, and international arrangements to protect environmental migrants, most of whom will not cross international borders. The proposal for a dedicated UN agency and a new Convention has largely come from academia and NGOs. Migration is now recognized not only as a consequence of instability but as an adaptation strategy to the changing climate. Migration must be anticipated as a certainty, and thereby planned for and supported.

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Section: Climate Change Hazards: Drought Heat Sea-level Rise and Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Change, Migration, and Civil Strife

Balsari

Dresser

Lee

2020

Curr Envir Health Rpt

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“…Today, the highest point of land on Tangier Island stands barely four feet above mean sea level. Under mid-level scenarios of sea level rise, much of the remaining land mass is projected to be lost within the next 50 years; and under a high sea level rise scenario, scientists fear that the island will need to be abandoned in as few as 25 years [34]. The population of Tangier peaked in the 1930s at approximately 1500 and has been diminishing ever since, with the 2010 Census registering only 727 inhabitants.…”

Section: An Illustration Of the Salience Of Self And Place Constructsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self and Place Constructs in Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments: Gaps and Recommendations

Herrick

2021

Sustainability

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In the United States, climate change vulnerability assessments are usually conceived as objectified exercises, based on theoretical orientations such as rational choice or systems theory. They adopt sectorial or population-level frames of reference and are operationalized by means of aggregating mathematical models, geospatial analytical platforms, and advanced visualization tools. While vulnerability assessments are intended to inform decision making, they often lack process-based mechanisms that enable them to be framed in terms of localized knowledge and perspectives. This is a weakness because occupant attitudes regarding places can spark unyieldingly negative reactions to expert-generated, objectivist vulnerability assessment processes and their outputs. In this paper, I attempt to demonstrate the salience of self and place constructs and explore the implications of their tendency to block serious reflection about the nature of potential vulnerabilities and risk management interventions. If acknowledged and addressed in a manner that is empathetic and context sensitive, it may be possible to channel these perspectives to elevate and deepen dialog about climate change and help to identify and compile circumstantially appropriate menus of adaptation policy interventions.

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“…In some situations, individuals are faced with slow‐onset environmental disasters, such as sea‐level rise, that often have an irreversible impact (Table 2 ). During the early 20th century, several islands within the Chesapeake Bay area that had been populated since the 1850s were quickly abandoned, partly because of coastal erosion and rising sea levels that led to the complete submergence of islands that had once been flourishing communities (Richter, 2015 ; Schulte et al, 2015 ). Within Holland Island specifically, the population began to decline, partially because land loss from increased levels of erosion decreased the amount of habitat available to residents (Arenstam Gibbons & Nicholls, 2006 ; Richter, 2015 ).…”

Section: Dimensions Of Climate‐induced Migration In North American Case Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contributions of evolutionary anthropology to understanding climate‐induced human migration

Templon

Kirsch

Towner

2021

American J Hum Biol

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Humans are able to thrive in a multitude of ecological and social environments, including varied environments over an individual lifetime. Migrationleaving one place of residence for another-is a central feature of many people's life histories, and environmental change goes hand-in-hand with migration, both in terms of cause and consequence. Climate change has amplified this connection between environment and migration, with the potential to profoundly impact millions of lives. Although climate-induced migration has been at the forefront of other disciplines in the social sciences, evolutionary anthropologists (EAs) have given it little attention. In this paper we draw upon existing literature and contribute our EA perspective to present a framework for analyzing climate-induced migration that utilizes theoretical approaches from a variety of social science disciplines. We focus on three overlapping dimensions-time, space, and severity-relevant to understanding the impact of climate change on human migration. We apply this framework to case studies from North America of people impacted by climate change and extreme weather events, including hurricanes, droughts, rising sea-levels, and wildfires. We also consider how access to both economic and social resources influence decisions regarding migration. Research focused on climate-induced human migration can benefit equally from the addition of EA perspectives and a more interdisciplinary theoretical approach.

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Climate Change and the Evolution and Fate of the Tangier Islands of Chesapeake Bay, USA

Cited by 15 publications

References 17 publications

Climate Change, Migration, and Civil Strife

Climate Change, Migration, and Civil Strife

Self and Place Constructs in Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments: Gaps and Recommendations

Contributions of evolutionary anthropology to understanding climate‐induced human migration

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