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The MIG research group focuses on applying advanced data collection and estimation methods to quantify and better understand the trends, patterns, drivers, and consequences of different types of migration considering its interactions with the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
Migration is a key demographic component underlying population change. As a multifaceted process, it is influenced by various factors such as economic opportunities, social and political drivers, environmental changes, and conflicts. Due to its high volatility and complexity, migration is difficult to assess and forecast, thus requiring a combination of data sources and methods. The MIG research group employs innovative approaches to provide comprehensive estimates of internal and international migration and its underlying factors at global, national, and sub-national levels. A particular focus of the research group is exploring how climatic changes and environmental factors directly and indirectly influence migration, and how these effects differ across geographical locations and population subgroups. In addition, the research group offers valuable insights into the interconnections between sustainability, human development, and well-being, highlighting their relevance for migration processes worldwide.
Models, tools, datasets
Wittgenstein Centre Human Capital Data & Graphic Explorer Version 3.0 (WCDE)
Projects
Future Migration Scenarios for Europe (FUME)
BALancing humAn and Natural resource use for Circular bioEconomy (BALANCE)
Just Transitions to Net-Zero Carbon Emissions for All (JustTrans4ALL)
Staff
Nicholas Gailey
Researcher (MDM, MIG)
Guy Abel
Research Scholar (MIG)
Jesus Crespo Cuaresma
Research Scholar (MIG)
Gregor Zens
Research Scholar (MIG)
News
05 September 2024
Prestigious ERC Starting Grant awarded to IIASA’s Roman Hoffmann
IIASA is excited to announce that Migration and Sustainable Development Research Group Leader, Roman Hoffmann, has been awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant for a new project to investigate the complex interactions between climate change and human mobility.
10 July 2024
Latest European Demographic Data Sheet highlights lasting impact of war and migration
The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the consequent displacement of millions of people will have a significant impact on the country’s long-term population structure. Researchers from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, IIASA, and the University of Vienna are forecasting a substantial population decline of 21-31% by 2052.
22 February 2024
Master's Programme "Global Demography"
The Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital (IIASA, OeAW, University of Vienna) will start Master's Programme "Global Demography" at the University of Vienna with its fourth cohort of students in October 2024.
Events
Mexico City & online
The Migration Conference 2024
Edinburgh, Scotland
European Population Conference 2024
Columbia University in New York & Zoom
Seminar on Climate Mobility at Columbia University
Focus
24 June 2024
Predicting EU migration trends: merging traditional and social media data
IIASA researchers Dilek Yildiz and Guy Abel highlight the benefits of a new statistical model that combines traditional data sources like the census with real-time Facebook data to estimate EU migrant populations, offering valuable insights for policymakers.
08 November 2023
Explaining the impacts of climate change on migration
Options Magazine, Winter 2023: There has been much debate around the impact of climate change on migration. The international discourses around this topic, however, have often been more politically charged and less backed by science.
Publications
Vashold, L. & Crespo Cuaresma, J. (2024). A unified modelling framework for projecting sectoral greenhouse gas emissions. Communications Earth & Environment 5 (1) e139. 10.1038/s43247-024-01288-9. Kluge, L., Olaya Bucaro, O. , K.C., S., Yildiz, D. , Abel, G. , & Schewe, J. (2024). A multidimensional global migration model for use in cohort-component population projections. Demographic Research 51 323-376. 10.4054/DemRes.2024.51.11. Carr, R., Kotz, M., Pichler, P.-P., Weisz, H., Belmin, C., & Wenz, L. (2024). Climate change to exacerbate the burden of water collection on women’s welfare globally. Nature Climate Change 14 700-706. 10.1038/s41558-024-02037-8. Marois, G. , Crespo Cuaresma, J., Zellmann, J., & Reiter, C. (2024). A dataset of human capital-weighted population estimates for 185 countries from 1970 to 2100. Scientific Data 11 (1) e612. 10.1038/s41597-024-03466-y. Yildiz, D. , Wiśniowski, A., Abel, G. , Weber, I., Zagheni, E., Gendronneau, C., & Hoorens, S. (2024). Integrating Traditional and Social Media Data to Predict Bilateral Migrant Stocks in the European Union. International Migration Review 10.1177/01979183241249969.