Migration is an integral part of everyone's life, is popular, and has both positive and negative consequences. This is particularly true of the environment, as we interact directly with nature when we migrate. The Foresight Project, after research, concluded that the number of people who would migrate to places where environmental risks are threatened would be the same as the number of people who would migrate from these places. Migration directly affects the environment and the reaction can be seen even without research. For example, 17 million people were displaced by natural hazards in 2009 and 42 million in 2010 (this number includes those displaced by geophysical events). When people move from one place to another, they bring with them, in addition to cultural features, also environmental features that have either positive or negative impacts.

  Cities in low-income countries are of particular concern, and they will be subject to "double jeopardy" in the future. Cities are likely to grow in size, partly because of rural-urban migration trends, while at the same time being increasingly threatened by global environmental change. These future threats will overlap with existing vulnerabilities, and new migrants to cities are and will continue to be especially vulnerable.

Scientists offer different solutions to the problem. Research carried out in the Ethiopian highlands between 1996 and 2001 revealed the fact that labour migration was the primary coping strategy for drought. Evidence from Viet Nam suggests that flooding can destroy crops and lead to loss of livelihoods, which then directly triggers migration. By addressing the problems associated with migration, many results can be achieved.