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The Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna delta is one of the most populous deltas in the world, threatened by diverse environmental stressors, including salinity intrusion, causing adverse consequences on livelihood adaptation. Shrimp farming has been recognized as one of the most practiced livelihoods among various livelihood opportunities. Growing global demand and higher economic returns encouraged many farmers to convert their agricultural land to shrimp farms by intruding saline water into the farmlands to produce shrimps. In this study, we investigated whether the growing trend of shrimp farming influences the migration aspirations of the vulnerable coastal communities in Bangladesh. The study employed qualitative interviews with individuals in four villages in southwest coastal Bangladesh. Satellite images were analyzed to detect land-use changes and changes in soil salinity in the last 28 years, confirming a rapid increase in shrimp farms. Results from the qualitative interviews indicate that poor people with limited resources cannot produce paddy on their land because of increased soil salinity caused by shrimp farming. Such a situation leads them to aspire to migrate. Thus, our analysis contributes to the discourse on “aspiration and capability” in environmental migration by adding the impacts of land-use changes on livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender plays a role in all aspects of migration but is underrepresented in migration theories, particularly relating to environmental migration. In this research I address how men and women experience vulnerabilities to environmental change differently and how these vulnerabilities are reflected in their aspirations and ability to migrate. I focus on two urban areas in Morocco with distinct migration histories and environmental contexts: Tangier and Tinghir. I conducted qualitative interviews with a total of 48 informants. My findings indicate that vulnerability to environmental change and aspirations and ability to migrate are influenced by access to social, financial, and economic resources, and are structured by gender. Further, my analyses identified interactions among gender, generation, migration networks, and place of residence and explain why populations most affected by environmental change are unable to migrate, increasing gender inequalities within these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]