Introduction

Worldwide, climate hazards increasingly pose existential threats to subsistence farmers, many of whom struggle to manage such hazards where they live because they are multidimensionally poor. As a result, climate impacts are increasingly influencing their migration decisions. Simultaneously, many affected people are either unable to leave risk areas or do not wish to do so (immobility). Both migrating from and remaining in areas facing climate hazards can have sweeping and enduring impacts on the well-being of affected people. Nevertheless, the implications of climate migration and immobility (or climate (im)mobilities) for people’s well-being remain poorly understood. Few studies provide comprehensive analyses of how moving or staying influences multiple facets of objective need fulfillment. Even less research examines how affected people self-evaluate their lives, how they feel, and how they look to the future in these situations.In this interdisciplinary, mixed methods dissertation, I address these gaps by dissecting multidimensional well-being impacts related to varied climate (im)mobilities within Peru. The study examines the four major types of climate (im)mobilities, namely migration, displacement, relocation, and immobility. By assessing multidimensional well-being effects and their mechanisms of action, the dissertation pursues two main goals. First, it informs debates about the potential of migration as an adaptation strategy and about loss and damage due to climate change. Second, it provides evidence that can support development and adaptation planning to safeguard the well-being of the growing number of climate migrants and people in immobility. This introduction chapter sets the stage by discussing the context and scope of the study as well as the research questions and objectives. It concludes with a preview of the structure of the dissertation and the following chapters.