Ingrid Boas: ‘I want to contribute to a just and multifaceted approach to climate change and human mobility’

Boas’s work examines human mobility and its relationship with climate change. She investigates whether, how, and why people move or stay in the context of climate change, and how future climate mobilities can be governed across different regions of the world. “The relationship between climate change and human mobility encompasses diverse forms of mobilities and immobilities, such as voluntary and forced relocation, voluntary or forced immobility, seasonal labor migration, nomadic movements, and planned resettlements in response to climate change,” she explains. “It spans a wide range of situations, from people unable or unwilling to leave, to groups or individuals forced to move.”

Climate mobilities offers broad perspective

The term ‘climate mobilities’ was deliberately chosen to provide a broader, conceptual, and more nuanced understanding of the relationship between climate change and human mobility. “The terms ‘climate refugee’ and ‘climate migrant’ are often seen as overly simplistic and can carry stigmas,” Boas notes. “My work focuses on the complexities of mobilities and immobilities in the context of climate change, encompassing social, political, economic, and emotional factors such as place attachment and access to resources.”

Gaining prominence

Boas has been working on this topic since 2007. “In the 1990s and early 2000s, there were some publications about ‘environmental refugees.’ At the time, the approach was often deterministic and overly simplistic. Around 2007, climate change gained more prominence in that debate. At first also somewhat one-dimensional, often overemphasizing climate change as the primary driver of migration. Since then, the field has taken on a broader and more analytical perspective, addressing its multi-causal dimensions, informed by a range of disciplines, including migration and environmental sciences, social geography and political science.”

Also relevant in Europe

Boas expects this topic to become increasingly important – not only in the Global South but also in Europe, Australia, and the U.S. “There too are situations that deserve attention, such as the effects of more extreme weather. Close by we increasingly hear stories of communities who are asked to relocate because of rising sea levels, and then not wanting to. This is happening in Portugal, for example, but also in the United Kingdom. Such experiences close by may lead to greater understanding of the resistance of island states like Tuvalu to the narrative that their islands will inevitably be lost to rising waters. Not because they underestimate the dangers of sea level rise, but because they do not want to give up their land just like that and first want to explore options to adapt to climate change.”

More balanced and open view

According to Boas, this broad vulnerability shows that we need to develop a more balanced and less biased view of how we deal with climate mobilities. “Future research must look geographically broader and put equity at the centre. That includes consideration of the perspectives of affected groups and fairer distribution of resources for climate adaptation, loss and damage.”

Transdisciplinary and equitable perspective

Wageningen University, she says, is a strong base for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research of this kind. “It offers opportunities to collaborate with various fields and affected communities, such as Indigenous groups.” Boas aspires to foster greater understanding and openness toward the complexities of climate mobilities. “This includes addressing social inequalities, political contexts, and the importance of local perspectives. Ultimately, I hope to contribute to equitable policies and adaptation strategies that consider the needs and interests of affected groups.”

About Ingrid Boas

Currently, Boas leads several ongoing international projects, including an NWO-funded Vidi project that examines how fishers, nomadic herders, and island and delta populations cope with climate change in the regional borderlands of West Africa, Bengal, and the Pacific to understand the connection between climate change, mobile livelihoods, and border politics. She also co-chairs the international Environmental & Climate Mobilities Network, which brings together over 400 researchers and practitioners to facilitate open exchanges among academics, policymakers, and field experts globally. The aim is to deepen collective understanding of the links between the environment and human (im)mobility.

In her new role, Boas aims to focus on the capacities of mobile and immobile communities facing both climate impacts, the implications of climate policy, and the increasing politicization of migration. Through her work, Boas wants to contribute to a world where everyone has a fair chance to adapt to climate change. Whether it is people who want to stay where they are, or groups seeking safer places, she hopes her research leads to policies that are equitable and consider the needs of the most vulnerable communities.