The Impact of Environmental Changes: Sri Lankan Migration Patterns to the Netherlands

This study aims to investigate the perceptions of Sri Lankan migrants in the Netherlands regarding the role of environmental changes in their migration trajectories. While economic and political factors have been extensively studied as reasons for migration, the potential influence of environmental changes has received less attention. By focusing on the Sri Lankan diaspora in the Netherlands, the interplay and impact between environmental changes, migration, and remittances to countries of origin can come to light. Using a qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with Sri Lankan migrants in the Netherlands to gather their perspectives on environmental changes and their migration decisions. The findings reveal that while migrants did not perceive environmental changes as the primary reason for their migration, these changes did subconsciously impact their overall migration trajectories. Economic and political factors were found to be intertwined with environmental changes, influencing the decision to migrate. Furthermore, financial remittances, such as monetary support and goods, were frequently sent back to help alleviate the loss of skilled labour and increasing poverty. Social remittances, consisting of ideas, social capital, and identities, were also exchanged between Sri Lanka and the Netherlands, contributing to the preservation of cultural ties and aiding in tackling environmental issues. Overall, this study highlights the complexity of migration decisions and the need to consider multiple factors, including environmental changes, in understanding migration trajectories. It emphasises the significance of remittances in addressing environmental change and suggests that policymakers and politicians can play a crucial role in engaging with the social discourse surrounding remittances to develop effective strategies for addressing environmental challenges. The study also suggests avenues for future research, including exploring the perceptions of environmental migration among other demographics and internal migration within Sri Lanka.