Scholars
Kees van der Geest
United Nations University
Based in
Netherlands
Europe
Kees van der Geest, PhD is senior researcher and Head of the “Environment and Migration: Interactions and Choices” (EMIC) Section at United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNS-EHS). As a human geographer he studies the impacts of climate change, human mobility, environmental change, adaptation, livelihood resilience and rural development. Key features of his work are the people-centered perspective and the mixed-method approach combining quantitative and qualitative research tools. His work has contributed substantially to expanding the empirical evidence base on migration-environment linkages and impacts of climate change beyond adaptation (“loss and damage”).
Publications
Articles
Kees van der Geest, Maxine Burkett, Juno Fitzpatrick, Mark Stege, & Brittany Wheeler. 2020. “Climate change, ecosystem services and migration in the Marshall Islands: Are they related?” Climatic Change (July 2020).
Kees Van der Geest, Maxine Burkett, Juno Fitzpatrick, Mark Stege, & Brittany Wheeler. 2019. “Marshallese perspectives on migration in the context of climate change,” IOM Policy Brief (2019).
Ingrid Boas, Carol Farbotko, Helen Adams, Harald Sterly, Sterly Bush, & Kees van der Geest et al. 2019. “Climate migration myths,” Nature Climate Change (December 2019).
Kathinka Fossum Evertsen & Kees van der Geest. 2020. “Gender, environment and migration in Bangladesh,” Climate & Development (April 2019).
Istiakh Ahmed, Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson, Kees van der Geest, Saleemul Huq, & Joanne Jordan. 2019. “Climate change, environmental stress, and loss of livelihoods can push people towards illegal livelihoods: A case study from coastal Bangladesh,” Climate & Development (March 2019).
Kees van der Geest, Alex de Sherbinin, Stefan Kienberger, Zinta Zommers, Asha Sitati, Erin Roberts, & Rachel James 2018. “Impacts of climate change on ecosystem services and resulting losses and damages to people and society.” In Loss and Damage from Climate Change, Concepts, Methods and Policy Options, Heidelberg: Springer (November 2018).
Reinhard Mechler et al. 2019. “Science for Loss and Damage. Findings and Propositions: Concepts, Methods and Policy Options.” In Loss and Damage from Climate Change, Concepts, Methods and Policy Options, Heidelberg: Springer (November 2018).
Tamer Afifi, Andrea Milan, Benjamin Etzold, Benjamin Schraven, Christina Rademacher-Schulz, Patrick Sakdapolrak, Alexander Reif, Kees van der Geest, & Koko Warner. 2016. “Human mobility in response to rainfall variability: Opportunities for migration as a successful adaptation strategy in eight case studies,” Migration and Development (2016).
Kees Van der Geest, Kees Burger, Augustine Yelfaanibe, & Ton Dietz. 2016. “Not the usual suspects: Environmental Impacts of Migration in Ghana’s Forest-Savanna Transition Zone.” In Land restoration: Reclaiming landscapes for a sustainable future, Elsevier (2016).
Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson, Kees van der Geest, Istiakh Ahmed, Saleemul Huq & Koko Warner. 2016. “A people‐centred perspective on climate change, environmental stress, and livelihood resilience in Bangladesh,” Sustainability Science (June 2016).
Kees Van der Geest & Koko Warner. 2015. “Vulnerability, coping and loss and damage from climate events.” In Hazards, risks and disasters in society, Elsevier (2015).
Kees van der Geest & Koko Warner. 2015. “Editorial: Loss and damage from climate change: emerging perspectives,” International Journal of Global Warming (September 2015).
Kees Van der Geest & Koko Warner, 2014. “Loss and damage from droughts and floods in rural Africa.” In Inside Africa’s Agricultural, Food and Nutrition Dynamics: Digging Deeper, Leiden: Brill (2014).
Kees Van der Geest, Nguyen Viet Khoa, & Thao Nguyen Cong. 2014. “Internal migration in the Upper Mekong Delta, Vietnam: What role for climate-related stressors?” Asia-Pacific Population Journal (December 2014).
Koko Warner, Kees van der Geest, & s. Kreft. 2013. “Pushed to the limits: Evidence of climate change-related loss and damage when people face constraints and limits to adaptation,” Bonn: United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) (November 2013).
Koko Warner & Kees van der Geest. 2013. “Loss and damage from climate change: Local-level evidence from nine vulnerable countries,” International Journal of Global Warming (October 2013).
Koko Warner, Kees van der Geest, Sönke Kreft, Saleemul Huq, Sven Harmeling, Koen Kusters & Alex de Sherbinin. 2012. “Evidence from the frontlines of climate change: Loss and damage to communities despite coping and adaptation,” Loss and Damage in Vulnerable Countries Initiative, Bonn: United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) (November 2012).
Kees Van der Geest & Richard de Jeu. 2008. “Climate change and displacement: Ghana,” Forced Migration Review (October 2008).