Rethinking Climate Extreme Events and (Im)mobility From a Place-Based Perspective

The frequency and intensity of climate extreme events (both slow and rapid onset) are projected to increase due to human-induced climate change. Thus, as a response, people's decisions of whether to move (mobility) or stay (immobility) from the face of climate extreme events will become increasingly important. To date, literature has established that these (im)mobilities are not linear responses to climate extreme events, and instead is a dynamic response that is also influenced by social, economic, political, cultural, environmental, and historical factors. While the theoretical understanding of climate mobilities has gained significant traction in geographical research over the past few years, gaps remain, especially in relation to the Global South. In addition, a narrative assessment of the existing knowledge on the intersection of climate extreme events and (im)mobility in the Global South is also limited. Responding to this gap in knowledge, this review paper first introduces the concept of climate mobility. Then, it examines the concept's strands (mobility and immobility) in the context of the Global South. It argues that a theoretical framing of climate mobilities underpinned by a co-constitutive understanding of place and mobility can help to capture the plurality of climate mobility outcomes. The findings of the paper highlight how sensitivity to place offers a valuable framework for better understanding the plurality of climate mobilities in the Global South in relation to a changing climate.