This paper explores some of the main ways in which environmental change and migration have been linked to date. Reflecting the complexity and multi-dimensionality of the issue, it seeks to illustrate how environmental changes impact on human mobility in diverse and often subtle ways, reflecting differentiated vulnerabilities, and contexts often characterised by the presence of multiple “migration drivers.” Alongside environmental factors, the analysis will consider key economic, political, demographic and social trends and drivers. These include factors such as level of socio-economic development, economic growth, resource scarcity, governance frameworks, population growth, and urbanisation. The following four “impact types” are considered: 1) Mobility responses to sudden-onset hazards. 2) Mobility responses in the context of slow-onset hazards. 3) Linkages between environmental change, conflict and mobility. 4) Immobile populations.

Analysis will include consideration of how these impact types might develop in the future.