Migration, human capital, and climate change

This thesis investigates the relationships between climate change, human capital accumulation, global inequality, and migration at various spatial scales. The first chapter analyzes the factors influencing the geographic distribution of high-skilled human capital and their implications for inequality. A theoretical world economy model is developed that produces projections of population, migration, urbanization, and income for the 21st century. The second chapter extends this model and includes channels through which temperature and sea-level rise affect productivity and individual mobility. The robustness of socio-demographic projections to several different climate change scenarios is assessed. The third chapter studies the specific links between climate change and human capital formation. A theoretical model is developed and empirical evidence from Africa is provided illustrating these links. Finally, the fourth chapter revisits the implications of international migration for human capital accumulation and inequality. A new dyadic approach is proposed that establishes the micro-foundations of the relationship between higher education and migration decisions. The findings of the thesis emphasize the importance of policies that improve access to all levels of education, enhance education quality, encourage climate change adaptation, and contribute to sustainable urban development.
(ECGE - Sciences économiques et de gestion) -- UCL, 2018