The Marshall Islands is a nation of widely dispersed, low-lying coral atolls and islands, and
with climate change causing sea levels to rise and shifting weather patterns, the Marshall
Islands is faced with flooding, heat stress and drought. The Marshall Islands Climate and
Migration Project studies the multicausal nature of Marshallese migration, as well as its
impact on migrants themselves and communities in the Marshall Islands. This policy brief
highlights key findings on migration patterns, drivers and impacts, and discusses the tension …

Methods The research team conducted fieldwork with the Marshallese in both the Marshall
Islands and in destination states within the United States. The study used innovative social
science methods to assess local perceptions of climate change, ecosystem services,
habitability and migration. Methods included a household questionnaire (N= 278), focus
group discussions, Q methodology, 2 expert interviews and spatial analysis using GIS. 3 The
team spent about four weeks in the Marshall Islands' capital Majuro and two weeks on two …