Migration, habitability and climate change in Thailand in 2050 – Somsak’s story

This animated video tells the story of Somsak, a Thai farmer from Chiang Rai province, and how climate change plays into the decisions he and his wife make for their family. We follow their story up to the year in 2050 in an aspirational scenario for Thailand, where social, political and economic conditions have evolved to support adaptation to climate change. Their story shows that migration can be an effective adaptation strategy to deal with the economic vulnerabilities associated with increased climate extremes, although this often comes at a high social cost. Recognising this and either offering alternatives or facilitating safe and orderly migration, while ensuring social protection standards, can increase safety and choice. 

This video builds on research undertaken by the EU-funded HABITABLE project, which examined how climate change, habitability and migration interact. As the impacts of the climate crisis combine with other risks, migration may serve as an effective adaptation strategy. However, it can also lead to increased vulnerability, and for many it is not an option, either by choice or due to a lack of resources. The links between climate change, habitability and human mobility are complex and highly context specific, with the reasons for and outcomes of migration dependent on a variety of social, political, economic, environmental and demographic factors. 

Developing plausible future scenarios of how global warming may shape migration in different contexts can aid the planning and implementation of measures to support adaptation, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability. The video was co-developed with experts on climate change adaptation, migration and sustainable development in Thailand, and aims to support the development of people-centred solutions to the climate crisis. This video is part of a series of scenario stories produced as part of the HABITABLE project.

For more information about the scenarios and their development, check out our In Search of a Habitable Future report. 

Produced by: Joshua Knowles 

Directed by: Tobias Bernstein, adelphi research 

With special thanks to Boonthida Ketsomboon at Raks Thai Foundation, Debora Gonzalez at IOM, Sara Vigil at SEI and Tatiana Castillo Betancourt at the University of Liege for their contributions.