Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Giovanni Ferri
Author-X-Name-First: Giovanni
Author-X-Name-Last: Ferri
Author-Email: g.ferri@lumsa.it
Author-Workplace-Name: LUMSA University 
Author-Name: Roshan Borsato
Author-X-Name-First: Roshan
Author-X-Name-Last: Borsato
Author-Email: 
Author-Workplace-Name: LUMSA University 
Title: Urbanization And International Migration From Africa

Abstract: Climate change exacerbates desertification forcing millions of rural people to urbanize, especially in developing countries. Our quantitative analysis across African countries highlights migrants’ two typical sequential moves: i) people escape from villages to cities; ii) through cities’ enabling settings, some of them emigrate to developed countries. We find that: i) previous lower fresh water availability – our climate-related proxy – and drops in GDP’s agricultural share in Sub-Sahara seem to boost subsequent urbanization: ii) previously heightened urbanization subsequently inflates emigration rates. Thus, policies to combat land impoverishment/desertification would help both the environment and easing the stress that migration casts on societies’ balance.
Length: 22 pages
Creation-Date: 2018-07
Publication-Status: 
File-URL: https://repec.lumsa.it/wp/wpC29.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
Number: wpC29
Classification-JEL: F22, O15, O18, O55, Q54, R14, R23
Keywords: Desertification, Climate change, Urbanization, International migration.
Handle: RePEc:lsa:wpaper:wpC29