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Factors Affecting Migration Intentions in Ecological Restoration Areas and Their Implications for the Sustainability of Ecological Migration Policy in Arid Northwest China

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  • Yongjin Li

    (School of Philosophy and Sociology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
    Institute of Arid Agroecology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • David López-Carr

    (Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA)

  • Wenjiang Chen

    (School of Philosophy and Sociology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

Abstract

Ecological migration policy has been proposed and implemented as a means for depopulating ecological restoration areas in the arid Northwest China. Migration intention is critical to the effectiveness of ecological migration policy. However, studies on migration intention in relation to ecological migration policy in China remain scant. Thus this paper aims to investigate the rural residents’ migration intentions and their affecting factors under ecological migration policy in Minqin County, an ecological restoration area, located at the lower terminus of Shiyang River Basin in arid Northwest China. The data for this study come from a randomly sampled household questionnaire survey. Results from logistic regression modelling indicate that most residents do not intend to migrate, despite rigid eco-environmental conditions and governance polices threatening livelihood sustainability. In addition to demographic and socio-economic factors, the eco-environmental factors are also significantly correlated with the possibility of a resident intending to migrate. The implications of the significant independent variables for the sustainability of ecological migration policy are discussed. The paper concludes that ecological migration policies may ultimately be more sustainable when taking into account household interests within complex migration intention contexts, such as household livelihoods dynamics and environmental change.

Suggested Citation

  • Yongjin Li & David López-Carr & Wenjiang Chen, 2014. "Factors Affecting Migration Intentions in Ecological Restoration Areas and Their Implications for the Sustainability of Ecological Migration Policy in Arid Northwest China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(12), pages 1-22, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:6:y:2014:i:12:p:8639-8660:d:42873
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    1. Yuting Cao & Ran Liu & Wei Qi & Jin Wen, 2020. "Spatial Heterogeneity of Housing Space Consumption in Urban China: Locals vs. Inter-and Intra-Provincial Migrants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-26, June.
    2. Mengdi Li & Yaoping Cui & Yaochen Qin & Zhifang Shi & Nan Li & Xiaoyan Liu & Yadi Run & Oliva Gabriel Chubwa, 2021. "Estimating the Impact of Ecological Migrants on the South-to-North Water Diversion in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-16, November.
    3. Bing Xue & Mario Tobias, 2015. "Sustainability in China: Bridging Global Knowledge with Local Action," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-7, March.
    4. Karl S. Zimmerer & Steven J. Vanek, 2016. "Toward the Integrated Framework Analysis of Linkages among Agrobiodiversity, Livelihood Diversification, Ecological Systems, and Sustainability amid Global Change," Land, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-28, April.
    5. Tanvir Pavel & Syed Hasan & Nafisa Halim & Pallab Mozumder, 2018. "Natural Hazards and Internal Migration: The Role of Transient versus Permanent Shocks," Working Papers 1806, Florida International University, Department of Economics.
    6. Lucang Wang & Ting Liao & Jing Gao, 2025. "How Does Eco-Migration Influence Habitat Fragmentation in Resettlement Areas? Evidence from the Shule River Resettlement Project," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-24, July.
    7. Xi Wei & Wei Song & Ya Shao & Xiangwen Cai, 2022. "Progress of Ecological Restoration Research Based on Bibliometric Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-21, December.
    8. Walelign, Solomon Zena & Lujala, Päivi, 2022. "A place-based framework for assessing resettlement capacity in the context of displacement induced by climate change," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).

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