Environmental Effects on Rural-to-Urban Migration in China

Abstract： Migration process has become increasingly important in recent research on population and the environment. A majority of the existing migration and environment literature has focused on the environmental causes and determinants of migration. With the largest rural-to-urban migration flow in world history, and growing concerns about the environmental problems accompanying its fast economic development, China provides a particularly important case for migration and environment research. This paper reviews major migration theories and recent research on environmental effects on migration, with specific attention to the influences of en- vironmental factors on rural-to-urban labor migration in China. A comprehensive multilevel conceptual framework is developed for studying the environmental causes of rural-to-urban migration in China. The effects of land resources on household labor migration decisions in rural China are explored to illustrate the application of this framework.

Migration process has become increasingly important in recent research on population and the environment.A majority of the existing migration and environment literature has focused on the environmental causes and determinants of migration.With the largest rural-to-urban migration flow in world history,and growing concerns about the environmental problems accompanying its fast economic development,China provides a particularly important case for migration and environment research.This paper reviews major migration theories and recent research on environmental effects on migration,with specific attention to the influences of environmental factors on rural-to-urban labor migration in China.A comprehensive multilevel conceptual framework is developed for studying the environmental causes of rural-to-urban migration in China.The effects of land resources on household labor migration decisions in rural China are explored to illustrate the application of this framework.